Ghost Stories
by FireEmblemLugia
Summary: All you've ever wanted was to live a normal, peaceful life with the one you loved. But suddenly your past ties to a certain redheaded king and his clansmen; the people whom you once referred to as your family; come back to haunt you... And you hold many secrets...*Rated M for swearing, violence, and future sexual themes.* Reader x Adolf/Yashiro, Reader x Mikoto, and Reader x Kuroh.
1. Prelude: Murder

**_"~Murder coming to get us_**

 ** _Yeah coming to get us and away we hide_**

 ** _Murder, see it all around us_**

 ** _See it all around us_**

 ** _And away we hide~"_**

* * *

 _I remember a time where everything seemed perfect._

 _Where I always used to wake up late every morning and next to the person I loved most._

 _It was a simple life, one that I couldn't be happier with._

 _I got to see the world... and enjoy it too. Laugh and try new things without ever having to worry about my past or anyone else I used to know._

 _The one next to me always felt the exact same way._

 _And he never urged me to do something that I didn't want._

 _Like fighting..._

 _I've always held a grudge against fighting._

 _For as long as I could remember, it was always difficult to watch... and the feeling of my stomach churning whenever I witnessed it reassured me that this way of thinking wouldn't simmer down anytime soon._

 _Speaking of **simmer**._

 _I had almost forgotten what my life had been like before I ended up here._

 _Everyday had been like a horror movie waiting to happen._

 _The people around me always fought and argued with one another. Or perhaps their anger was more directed at outsiders rather than each other. In the end, without ever realizing it, a small but quickly replaced scowl would appear on my face at least once every single day._

 _It was hard._

 _But then I remembered that not everything had been all that bad._

 _Regardless of their fierce and constant fighting habits, I found myself **smiling** most of the time._

 _Because they were the people that I cared about. My friends, no... My family._

 _Looking past all of the arguing and all of the fighting, they were truly kind people._

 _They loved and cared for one another as if they had known each other all their lives, even though some only knew others for a few months._

 _It was more than just a group of rag-tag troublemakers._

 _It was home._

 _And even though I no longer associated with them, the kindness they'd given me was enough to last at least three entire lifetimes._

 _I will forever be grateful for that..._

 _But suddenly the pain I had been feeling earlier crashed back in waves._

 _Ah, that's right._

 _I had left_ ** _him_** _as well..._

 _The one who had given me everything... before I selfishly shunned him away in favor of my resolve to abstain from fighting._

 _But it was more than that._

 _It wasn't only the fighting that drove me away._

 _ **It was love**..._

 _And although I cared and loved the one I left more than most,_

 _There was someone else who had entered my life._

 _Someone who knew exactly how I felt. Someone who understood what I was going through._ _Someone who always showed me a bright smile..._

 _And brought **light** into my dull world._

 _This whole thing must sound pretty awful. And frankly I wouldn't be surprised if most thought that I would rot in hell for thinking this way or come to hate me._

 _But I couldn't help it._

 _Even with my intense love for the man who first showed me kindness, regardless of his demeanor saying otherwise, I knew it was only hurting him even more to know; that even though I was with him physically... My heart was off somewhere else._

 _I **loved** him. But in the end, I had to leave._

 _When I finally told the truth to everyone around me, I had been expecting the worst._

 _People screaming at me, calling me a traitor. Brutally attacking me with harsh words and heavy scowls of disgust... Everyone shunning me as if I were a filthy stray animal who had been abandoned by their herd._

 _But to my surprise, they had all been generously **understanding**._

 _It had shocked me at first. My senses shut down for a brief moment of time before I could even think to muster up a proper response. But as soon as I recaptured my composure I could suddenly feel tears of relief fill my eyes and a rushed sincere thank you slipping out of my mouth._

 _And o_ _nce I had calmed down enough, I looked around and exchanged sad glances with every single person who had taken care of me over the years, and of course to those whom I hadn't known for very long._

 _Because even though some of them were still fairly new to join the group, they had all been the best comrades a person like me could ever ask for._

 _And so I left on good terms._

 _Well, good **enough** I should say._

 _In the end,_ _I knew that there were always going to be some loose ends that could never be completely closed._

 _After I said goodbye individually and one on one with everyone, it all came down to the person I was going to miss more than anyone._

 _It had been the most difficult conversation of my entire life._

 _There was hurt evident in his normally brusque eyes; which only made saying farewell all the much harder._

 _After all, I wasn't just leaving him..._

 _ **I was breaking his heart**._

 _Even though he had been accepting of my decision, knowing for quite some time that my heart was torn between himself and some other unknown man, he sent me off with the biggest smile a person with his type of personality could possibly give... and surpassed it with an even bigger one._

 _Tears once again filled my eyes._

 _It wasn't everyday that he'd give off a physical smile; even though the look inside his golden irises would speak for him. But to give me an actual_ ** _genuine_** _grin... despite all of his pain, all of his_ _suffering_

 _It almost made me stay._

 _Almost made me throw my arms around him and tell him that I hadn't mean any of_ _what I said._

 _And that I wanted to stay with him..._

 _In the end the tears just grew heavier. To the point where I was sobbing uncontrollably until he grabbed me, burried my face into his chest and wrapped his_ _own_ _arms around me._

 _His warmth was what I'd miss most_ _. Other than him, himself_

 _The tightness of his hold on me was so comforting... that it almost seemed unfair how understanding he was acting for someone like him._

 _After several minutes of being embraced inside of that warmth I'd become so accustomed to; I realized that I'd have to leave soon, or else I would have gone through with my impulses and stayed there forever._

 _And so; with one final kiss,_

 ** _I_ _was gone._**

 _It's been a little over a year now since it happened._

 _Regardless of any last lingering feelings, I'm happy._

 _I no longer have to see the people around me get hurt anymore._

 _No more reckless, pointless fighting with gangs, or hearing about the people who dared mess with the ones fighting ending up in hospitals, and sometimes even worse..._

 _I had the love of my life by my side. Keeping me company, making me laugh and smile... even with his unexpected perverted tendencies. He just absolutely loved to tease me... And that warm smile of his never left his face. Not even for a single moment._

 _He'd introduced me to so many places and cities, trying new and exciting or even not so exciting adventures... While it was only him and I together forever inside this floating fortress I've grown to love as my new home._

 _I didn't need anything else._

 _The past was all behind me. Said and done._

 _Nothing could change that._

 _That is... until the day the Colorless king pulled the trigger that_ _erased it_ _all._

 _Before I knew it,_ _the past that I had tried so hard to forget came rushing back_ _, quicker than ever before._

 _The_ _fighting,_

 _The risks,_

 _The pain,_

... _**Everything**._

 _So when I received that life changing video of the Colorless king_ _, I was absolutely certain that my normal life was about to crumble._

 _Because on the receiving of that trigger wasn't just any regular person._

 _It was_ _Tatara_ _Totsuka_

 _A beloved friend not only to me... but to no one other than the short fused Red king himself..._

 _Mikoto Suoh._

 _Labeled as the most violent out of all seven kings, and the one whom I left behind._

 _The one I loved._

 _If this alone wasn't enough of a stressful situation,_

 _Then how about the fact that the Colorless king now possessed a new body?_

 _And it just happened to belong to the mysterious Silver king, Adolf K. Weismann..._

 _Also the_ _man that I am currently in love with._

 _He has been rejected from his own body and now occupies a new one._

 _And which body is that you ask?_

 _None other than the one that_ ** _looks_** _like he killed Tatara._

 _Of course I'm not completely sure about that, since I wasn't there at the time to witness it._

 _Still I knew everything about that man, enough to see what kind of person he is just through his personality._

 _And the instant he flashed that carefree smile of his on the public city streets, it all started to make sense._

 _While I wasn't there to witness the change, when the Colorless king took over him, I knew the moment I returned to that blimp that something wasn't right._

 _He was talking crazy and acted a lot more_ _jump_ _ier_ _than usual._

 _And once I looked him dead in the eyes, I saw it... The Colorless king appeared in one of his pupils and nearly took over my body as well._

 _In a panic I faced my head away and demanded an explanation. Little did I know that that one simple action saved my own life._

 _It was then that he began to sputter all of this crap about how he had planned to rule over the entire world and eventually become the one and only king._

 _But there was only one thing I was worried about._

 _If he was now possessing Adolf's body... Then..._

 _Where was_ ** _he_**

 _During it all I was still pretty disoriented. The Colorless king's voice was not only loud, it sounded like nails scraping desperately against a chalkboard._

 _I managed to escape the scene before my head exploded from all his rambling._

 _And it was then that I felt at a loss._

 _I had no idea where my Silver king was. And the worst part was the fact that I had escaped to the very same city that I had originally left so that I could be with Adolf._

 _Not only was I confused... I didn't know where to start looking to find him._

 _That's if, he was even still alive._

 _I had mentally slapped myself for even considering that fact before pulling myself together again._

 _No. He was alive. I could feel it._

 _Then I realized that wasn't the only reason for why I was staying here._

 _The Colorless king needed to pay._

 _Not only did he steal the body of the man I love,_

 _But he_ ** _killed_** _Tatara._

 _Someone whom I loved dearly and cared about with all my might._

 _My best friend._

 _And with that, a new resolve_ _formed inside of me._

 _Once I found the Silver king, the Colorless king would be next._

 _Although I wasn't quite sure what I'd do once I faced this evil man, there was something else that had been bothering me even more._

 _I would have to face my past as well._

 _Something I hoped I'd never have to do._

 _Not long after the night Tatara was murdered, I encountered someone by the name of Yashiro Isana. A boy a little younger than I am somewhere in the streets of the city._

 _It took less than a second to realize it was the same body that the Colorless king had possessed, but there was something...different about him._

 _Instead of having a frightening psychotic glint inside his eyes,_

 _He had a carefree, almost dopey smile across his face. One that seemed all too familiar. His mannerisms, the way he walked and spoke were also_ _uncannily similar to someone that I knew..._

 _Then it hit me._

 _This boy_ ** _was_** _Adolf K. Weismann. There was no mistake._

 _Somehow or someway he had managed to switch bodies, or maybe at least his consciousness with the Colorless king._

 _And if it really was him..._

 _Then he was in serious danger._

 _From the looks of it he had no recollection of what happened between him and the man who stole his body away; or any real memories at all for that matter. It was all very confusing. How could he possibly remember his new name and his new life...but not remember his previous one?_

 _Whatever the reason, I knew that the next few days were going to be a real bitch and half to deal with._

 _But I had no choice._

 _It was time to take action._


	2. Act One: Fix You

**For future reference, a** **ll of these chapter's will be named after Coldplay songs.**

 **The Reader:**

 **You're around the same age as Yata but slightly younger; with a given name,** **"Asaki Kitsuhara." A play on words meaning "Violet Fox," whose meaning will come into play later in the story.**

 **I hope you can bear with these small details.**

 **And for those wondering why I didn't use the whole "first/name, last/name" thing, is because it kind of annoys me when it's used in a long story like this rather than a one-shot or something.**

* * *

It had been a week now since you discovered the fact that the boy you encountered named Yashiro Isana was possibly the missing Silver king, Adolf K. Weismann.

But you still had to keep in mind that there was also a small chance you were wrong.

And since you never really got the opportunity to figure out if it really was him, and the fact that he had somehow managed to escape into this new body in such a short amount of time, you'd finally decided that in the end, he needed to be evaluated.

Sure you weren't exactly positive that it _was_ the one person you were looking for, but your gut was insistent on telling you otherwise.

So you just went with it.

Especially since you were running out of time; and quickly.

"Even if it _was_ him... What could I possibly do to help refresh his memory?" You mumbled to yourself.

As of right now you rested gently atop of a tall building edge while playfully swaying your legs in the warm breeze; thinking of only one question that repeated in your brain over again and again...

 ** _How did the Colorless king do it?_**

How had he manage to steal away a totally different body without so much as breaking a sweat, while also ruining several lives of innocent people in the process?

There was something weird to all of this mystery, and you didn't like being in the dark... Ever.

It was as if the air around you screamed, " _This is all a set up, part of some bigger convoluted scheme that was destined to start a war!_ "

In retrospect, you were certain it was. After all, the Colorless king had told you himself. His ramblings of him trying to take over the entire world and become the only king rang _loud and clear_ when his ear splitting, nails on a chalkboard voice overtook your senses.

He even made you escape into the city that you never _ever_ dreamed you'd step foot on again in a thousand years.

Speaking of which, you had also heard news about Mikoto Suoh and the members of the red clan "HOMRA" making an attempt at finding out who Tatara Totsuka's killer was. Which unfortunately ended up in disaster as they all helplessly watched their leader willingly hand himself over to the Blue king, Reisi Munakata, commander of the uptight "Septer 4."

And call yourself skeptical, but something about that situation just didn't ring quite right in your ears.

If there was one thing you _did_ know, was that Mikoto Suoh was the most stubborn person in the entire world, no, in the entire _universe_ , and would've never pulled any such stunt without there being some kind of hidden agenda.

But you weren't an _idiot_.

If anything, it didn't take you more than 5 seconds to figure out why he had done just that.

Scepter 4 wasn't the only group of people who had a tendency to find out top secret information.

Throughout all your years of experience, you'd come to dislike one thing above everything else, maybe even more so than fighting...

And that was being the fool when it came to knowing precious details.

That's also why you had originally used your... " _particular"_ move-set to infiltrate and retrieve the more reclusive details rather than actually going one on one with another clansman.

No. You knew _exactly_ what was going on.

Over the past few years before you left, you'd noticed that a certain Red headed king's weismann levels had slowly but surely began to rise over time ever since he'd been crowned king.

You also knew, how he may not have been quite as confident and aloof as most people made him out to be. In fact, it was all a façade. So you knew the real reason the red head turned himself in. Regardless of how much you wished it wasn't true...

He was _afraid_.

And deep down you'd always somehow _known_ that.

That man had been reluctant to have the responsibility of taking on the role of the fierce and powerful Red king, since day one.

He'd always had a short fuse when it came to remaining calm in stressful situations.

Add that to somehow suddenly becoming a ruler over several other vicious fighters, and of _course_ it would put a strain on him.

So, in the end, his insecurities got the better of him, and he even swallowed his pride enough to turn himself into the man he'd had the biggest conflict with for years...

"You must be having a field day huh, Munakata...?" A strained smile curled at your lips as the bitter words left them.

Munakata Reisi was a very... imposing man to say the least. Although you yourself didn't exactly feel this way, since you were pretty much immune to it; most other people did.

It was probably because of his somber attitude and lack of extreme emotions that caused others discomfort. Not to mention his entire aura seemed out of place around larger crowds of people who were filled with life and free of the burden of having to run an entire "kingdom."

Which was probably why he never handled many missions in the field... His presence would only make certain situations worse.

So when you heard that he'd personally handled the arrest, it was surprising, to say the least.

From what you gathered however, most of the time he'd stay behind on the sidelines and let the other members of Scepter 4 handle all of the dirty work.

And since you didn't really know or care what he did in his spare time, you just left it at that for now.

What _mattered_ was the fact that he had now achieved one of his biggest lifetime goals of capturing his greatest rival; no matter how much you yourself could actually tell that he and Mikoto genuinely liked each other enough to consider one another friends.

A small chuckle escaped your mouth once the idea popped into your head.

Apparently you were one of the select few people who could figure out that their "intense hate" for each other was all, in reality, a big joke; and that no matter what they said about the other, they really meant the opposite.

Well, _most_ of the time.

It was, in retrospect, rather cute how they denied any possibility of a friendship budding between the two of them and brushed off any indication of others around them saying otherwise.

Somehow, it had even managed to make you laugh when you were currently caught up in the most strenuous situation of your entire life.

And there it was again...

"I just _had_ to remind myself didn't I?"

The moment of regret passed as quickly as it came though, when you remembered that before all of your reminiscing, a plan had begun to form inside that calculating brain of yours.

Perhaps if you had somehow infiltrated the school where "Yashiro Isana" lived, you could explain everything that you knew about his past life and tell him your reason for watching over him?

After giving it a minute or so of thought, you realized how utterly ridiculous it sounded and repeated it out loud to yourself.

He has amnesia and believes that he's a normal high school student... How on earth would any of that sound to him? He'd probably think you were a crazy person and attempt to call the authorities to have you arrested. A person couldn't possibly be _that_ carefree.

"Well that's one plan down the drain..." You sighed and stopped kicking your legs into the air before standing up.

The building edge you currently stood atop of, was one that belonged to Ashinaka high school.

The same exact school where your amnesiac king resided.

So yeah, _technically_ you had already managed to get in easily enough, but that still wouldn't mean a single damned thing if you couldn't explain why you'd come here in the first place...

There was also the fact that this place was positively _gigantic_ and difficult to maneuver around, especially with so many students walking about with only their next math assignment as their biggest issue in life.

In other words, you'd have to go with a different plan...

"I guess there's really no way around it." You said as you walked perfectly balanced across the building edge. Your pulled back hair whipped freely behind you with every step.

As if on queue, a familiar flash of pure white hair and a careless grin made it's way outside of the main school entrance building, carrying that same red parasol and an all too recognizable fluffy pink "cat" perched on his shoulder.

You shaped and began following after him at a leisurely pace up and watched as he giddily made his way to the Ashinaka bridge that led to the city.

"Still the same Adolf..." A smile appeared on your face as you gracefully leapt from buildings and then finally to the bridge.

Regardless of your mind warning you about the potential danger of how this might all be a ruse enacted by the evil Colorless king to trick you, that smile of his and the way he acted just seemed too genuine to be fake.

And if he was heading towards the city... Well then things might play out better than you could've ever hoped for.

It had only been a few short minutes, when Yashiro took a moment to stop and admire the beautiful weather and scenery.

The way he closed his eyes and took it all in was sort of an reminder to how you'd always done so before things went sour... and for a brief moment, you also got to enjoy the same sense of peace that he did.

It was refreshing to see him without a care in the world just like in the good old days.

Not having to deal with the stress of knowing about the unforeseen world filled with kings and people possessing supernatural abilities...

What you _hadn't_ realized, was the fact that your body had moved all on it's own and put you out into the open less than 20 yards away from him. And if that wasn't bad enough, he was _staring_ at you; with a puzzled expression no less.

The gaze that the two of you shared was very short... So abrupt, that all you had managed to do was smile at him.

And in the time it took him to blink and rub his eyes; as if to see you were really there,

You were gone.

Well in a technical sense at least.

You had disappeared behind one of the thick metal bars that connected the upper and lower parts of the bridge and secretly peeked out at him from it.

Despite the rushed impulse to hide, you managed to actually become closer to where he was standing.

So you could see and hear him as he blushed confusedly and scratched the back of his head. Luckily for you, the "cat" had been too preoccupied with something else and hadn't seen you, because she looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Did I imagine it...?" The boy asked without the pink tinge ever leaving his cheeks.

" **Meow**?" He looked around again, as if to make sure that he wasn't going crazy, before shrugging it off and poking at his cheek.

"Nah, there's no way a girl that beautiful would ever smile at a guy like me... Oh, right. Gotta focus, let's see... Get the receipt and get back by six."

You sighed in relief, glad that he continued on with his errands,

That is until you realized what he said.

It had been a little while since you heard him call you that.

Whether he had his memory or not, it still made you feel reassured in your quest to help him cure his amnesia.

Growing up, the people around you had said many things regarding your looks. The most prominent consisted of the idea that you were considered to be one of the most sinfully attractive young woman they'd ever seen. More often than not, it had always seemed like an exaggeration to you whenever you heard someone say it.

You wouldn't deny that you were good looking. There would be no point since, clearly everyone else thought so. Although you were fairly certain that your unusually vibrant eyes might have added to your appeal. You also weren't low in self-esteem or anything either.

But to say that you were the most beautiful girl in the _entire_ world seemed a little... Farfetched.

So most compliments flew over your head the more you grew up; especially when it came to people that you didn't particularly care about.

The people you _did_ care about however; well that was an entirely different story.

Like right now.

The blush that completely covered your cheeks was a perfect example as to how _exactly_ you handled compliments from the man you're currently in love with.

Let's just say _modestly_ and skip the embarrassment.

However, that shouldn't matter right about now; and after shaking off any hesitation you began to follow behind your king again, making sure that this time you kept a lid on your personal emotions.

After all, if the "cat" with him recognized you, then your entire incognito mode, would surely be blown.

You hummed re-balancing yourself playfully on the thin bridge bumper bars above the unsuspecting boy, now walking directly below you.

* * *

 **Okay, basically this chapter was, for the most part written so that the readers can get a grasp as to what you're like** **, and for a little taste of what skills you have as a silver clansmen.**

 **But we're only scratching the surface of course.**

 **Hope this chapter was alright!**

 **And I promise side notes will be shorter from now on XD**

 **P.S. I'm doing touch ups on this story before I continue it! 10/27/16**


	3. Act One: 42

**_"~Those who are dead,_**

 ** _are not dead,_**

 ** _They're just living in my head._**

 ** _You thought you might be a ghost!_**

 ** _You thought you might be a ghost!_**

 ** _You didn't get to heaven but you made it close._**

 ** _You didn't get to heaven but you oh, ooh_** ~"

* * *

You hummed a soft tune to yourself quietly as your follow and observe mission continued.

Unfortunately, this was the one single bad habit that the Silver king had passed down onto you...

It was weird enough how easy-going you were acting when you knew _exactly_ what was about to happen. But the fact that you were also _humming_...?

You realized that you'd spent way too much time with him after all... And for the first time in days you allowed yourself to laugh out loud.

With everything that's been happening; you deserved a break from all of the serious atmosphere.

Turning on your heels, you walked alongside the building edge with your arms outstretched into the open air, waiting patiently. Your tune continued; and since you were feeling a little bored, you even twisted around your legs and torso into the air, pulling off a flawless backflip before returning to your previous stance.

"It's such a shame that this nice day is about to be ruined." You mused.

A heavy sigh left your mouth.

Yep. What a shame.

Right about now Yashiro was pretty much done with completing all of his errands, for who knows what, and stopped by one last convenience store before intending to head back.

The more you simply watched over this boy, the more certain you were that he was indeed your long lost king.

He even _looked_ similar to him. The only real differences being his height and eye color, and his hair on better inspection was more closely white than silver.

Everything else about him stayed exactly the same.

The only _real_ problem of this whole ordeal, was that he had always kept to himself and stayed alone inside of the Himmelreich for over 60 years; without ever stepping off long enough for someone other than yourself to get to know him better.

And sometimes it was hard; being the only person close enough to know almost everything about him.

He was a mystery among the other kings. Very secretive; keeping to himself without ever speaking to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary... Needless to say, you were all alone in this.

Regardless of all the trouble he'd caused though, most of the time, being the only person at his side felt wonderful. Spending time with him alone; without anyone ever bothering the two of you... No one to _interrupt_.

A small blush tinted your cheeks when the memories of your _alone time_ came rushing back...

Now was not the time for your mind to drift to stuff like _that_.

Sighing, you returning your thoughts back to how difficult the situation was about become and quickly pulled the backpack you brought along with you off your shoulders and unzipped it, taking out a long dark olive green trench coat with a massive hood.

After giving it a good evaluation; you carefully put it on and prepared for what was about to happen.

Among the bustling streets, there were several different types of people scattered in between that caught your eye...

"Looks like they're almost here." You whispered as a few _all too familiar_ auras began appearing around you left and right.

Once you were completely done covering your entire face and body, you ducked down so that only your eyes were visible. Thank goodness this jacket was baggy enough to hide any indication of your curves... Your identity was safe. After all, things were about to get messy.

Being recognized would only add fuel to the fire... No pun intended.

"Good luck, Adolf..."

There was nothing else you could do for now, other than to wish him the best of luck. Although if he really was your king, then this would be more _entertaining_ rather than dangerous.

Besides, if worst came to worst then the "cat" perched on his shoulder would surely help out if the danger grew too hazardous... or at least until you had planned to jump in...

Speaking of which, you weren't _exactly_ sure when that would be, but you knew that if the right moment struck you'd ultimately have to intervene.

It was your intention, to make sure no one would ever figure out that it was you in the first place.

You only hoped that you wouldn't have to resort to force in order to save him.

Then again with HOMRA being the ones after your king, not to mention believing that he was the one who had _killed_ one of their members... That outlook wasn't very likely.

Suddenly, to your left the closest aura had arrived first... and you almost grimaced when you realized who it was. Of _course..._ It _had_ to be Misaki Yata, the most hot headed member of them all...

Perhaps you'd need to step in sooner than you originally planned...? After all, that skateboard of his alone was a sign asking for a death sentence.

Yashiro's reflexes were what saved himself in the long run, after he narrowly dodged a rough swing from Yata's metal bat and landed bottom first on the concrete ground below. You followed closely behind as you jumped over to the next building to get a better view of the upcoming chase.

And if you weren't already worried beyond all belief; what your king said next would've made you laugh out loud at how clueless he was to the eminent danger in front of him.

" _Huh?_ "

Oddly enough a small chuckle still managed to escaped your lips when you hovered over them.

Only the Silver king could look so dopey at the hands of a vengeful gangbanger...

The red clan member was fast in his pursuit when Yashiro managed to get up. Not caring who got in his way...unlike your king, who; even when being hunted down by someone trying to _murder_ him, apologized to every bystander he frantically passed by, barely staying alive.

Making sure you didn't lose them, you were now running and leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

The chase continued until the frazzled white headed boy managed to make it to a moving truck. Not soon after though he almost got himself burnt to a crisp when it came to a complete stop at a red light, as Yata finally made his supernatural abilities known by throwing an intense blazing punch.

Things only became worse when you sensed two other auras nearby, quickly catching up to where Yata was.

Sure enough, zooming past on a motorcycle, you identified the first person driving the steel death trap as Kamamoto Rikio, the overweight clansmen who somehow slimmed down considerably during the summer...and the one closest to Yata, as the driver. The other one that you weren't quite as well acquainted with but still knew of was Shohei Akagi, who also happened to be one of the better fighters that belonged to HOMRA.

Somehow though, the helpless boy ducked in time before the flames could touch him, escaped the truck and sprinted off.

And with every passing second, you only grew more and more impressed with his abilities to think on the fly and dodge so quickly, even with his erased memory.

Ironic considering he was always known to run away from his problems...

Some things never change.

But that didn't stop your heartbeat from speeding up whenever a fist or kick came close to hitting him and burning off his face.

Once again you didn't stray that far behind. Making sure not to get _too_ close either, but your blood nearly went rigid when you noticed that your king had been cornered, and that his only escape route was through an alley way leading to the worst clansman of all...

Your thinking had been cut short however, when you heard Yata scream out a few curse words of irritation ahead of him, saying how useless it was to try and run away considering how outnumbered the poor guy was.

Maybe his way of thinking wasn't that far off.

A new plan started to form inside of your head to end this deadly goose chase; since you could no longer stand back and watch the madness happening around you.

You jumped high into the air ahead of the running group to where the last and final clansman resided in wait.

You had spotted him rather quickly and sat down on the edge of the building you currently resided on, waiting for your time to strike.

The air felt seemingly more dry in this area...

Seeing so many people from your all but forgotten past in the span of a few minutes wasn't the best feeling in the world.

But seeing _him;_ well it was almost as bad as seeing a _certain_ someone else.

"It's been a long time... Kusanagi..." You whispered bitterly to yourself as you closely observed the blonde headed man below.

He hadn't change much in the time that you'd last seen him... He was still as handsome as you remembered. Donning the same bartender uniform and purple sunglasses without a single button or hair out of place, while he quietly smoked a cigarette.

In fact, if it weren't for the reality that you were already in love with somebody else, you yourself probably would have fallen in love with him.

Especially if the both of you hadn't ever met.

But since you knew exactly what he was like, that particular scenario sounded almost comical to you and a small smile tugged at your lips just thinking about it.

Still, you wouldn't deny that _the_ Izumo Kusanagi was a sight for sore eyes in the views of most women. Unfortunately for them though, he wasn't the type of man to be tied down for too long.

Back then, it sometimes even made you wonder if he'd ever meet the right person and even get married one day...

You couldn't dwell on the matter much longer, because the sound of multiple footsteps grew closer.

"Here it goes." You whispered tugging the hood of your jacket lower over your face and positioning yourself.

"Ah?"

Suddenly; you stopped right in your tracks.

Just when you were about to swoop down and intervene, you sensed another presence; and it was close.

 _Very_ _close_.

This color was...different; or rather _lacking_ in color, unlike the others.

The feeling of it caught you a little off guard. But that didn't mean you were afraid. It was quite the opposite actually.

In fact, you knew this aura.

From where? You weren't sure of yet, since the time to think on it was growing shorter with every passing second.

Still... Perhaps stepping up now wasn't the best move.

So for the moment, you decided to wait and see how the scene played itself out and remained where you were.

An unfamiliar sense of interest in not knowing what was about to happen stirred inside of your gut.

Hopefully Adolf would forgive you for all of your hesitation once or if his memories returned... Then again, he was pretty much the most lenient guy anyone could ever encounter, so there was really nothing to worry about...

Kusanagi then began to flash a little of his own abilities as a red clansman by summoning his infamous fireballs that flowed rather spontaneously outside the tip of his cigarette and towards your defenseless king...

At least that's what everyone other than _you_ thought.

As if on cue, another young man landed foot first onto the ground in front of him and deflected every single ball of fire that flew his way.

"Impressive." You whispered.

From just a brief glance, any logical person could see that the current pursuers were outmatched... Even Kusanagi.

He was also quick to sense Yata ( _whom wasn't logical in any aspect_ ) approaching him from behind as he swiftly whipped his body around, forming a long liquid looking appendage that stretched out several yards away from his hand and forcefully grabbed onto the red clansman's head, before pulling him back; slamming his elbow into his stomach, and sending poor Yata flying.

Your eyebrow twitched at that.

This guy was a bit too harsh for your own liking.

His techniques cleared up any misconceptions though, and in that moment you knew exactly who you were dealing with...and of course it clarified why this particular aura rang a bell inside your brain.

This mysterious young boy was the famous "Black Dog." A clansman of the previous Colorless king, also known as "Kuroh Yatogami."

Figures.

During your recent travels across the globe you'd learned many new things. One of them being about the other kings and their followers.

The black dog was one of few people that you felt had a more _interesting_ move set compared to various others.

At the time you hadn't really ever thought you'd encounter him. Even less so in a situation such as this.

Yet here he was; currently floating away with your king tucked firmly underneath his arm...

Today was just full of surprises. Each one exceeded the prior and surpassed your expectations.

Things really were heating up. This time the pun really _was_ intended.

In a way; his appearance was to be expected...

As of right now almost everyone; including the black dog, probably knew about that video showing Totsuka's demise at the hands of the current Colorless king.

Who had "conveniently" used the same body being occupied by your king right now to do so; shamelessly framing him.

You practically scoffed in disgust at the dirty, underhanded move.

Dirty...but also undeniably clever.

No matter how much it killed you inside to admit it.

That bastard _knew_ that you were the only person who had spent enough time with Adolf to know the truth. He'd also known about your past affiliations with several other people in this city, and your reluctance to return where you had originally intended to leave everything behind; forever.

Now you'd have to take the long way to somehow prove that Yashiro wasn't the evil king.

Too bad you were the only person who knew all of this...

The sound of swearing brought you out of your thoughts and returned your attention back to those below.

"Shit! Who was that guy?" Yata yelled angrily.

You let out a small sigh of relief; glad that the loud mouthed delinquent was already back on his feet again, even after a brutal blow to the stomach.

"Resilient as ever." You half smirked.

"Kuroh Yatogami, the Black Dog... Apparently this is going to be more trouble than I thought. Oh well... No way around it. Guess we'll have to go with plan B." Kusanagi replied pulling out his cell phone.

His words caught your attention. And you practically laughed when the next sentence left your mouth.

"Plan B, huh? Well that doesn't sound too good."

Right now though; it was your own turn to flee the scene and follow after the guy who had just stolen your man.

Not that you'd ever give Weismann the satisfaction of telling him you said something so hopelessly cheesy once he returned to normal.

Without anymore delay, you distanced yourself a bit and gracefully lept into the open air and skipped in unison with the wind's currents; making sure to hone in onto the black dog's aura and keeping enough distance for you to stay out of his sight.

Luckily they hadn't gone very far.

Then again, even if he did manage to get further away; tracking them was a small task for someone with skills like yours.

Hunting down others was your specialty.

A faint smile spread across your face when the feeling of the warm breeze gently grazed your cheeks. The hood you were previously wearing was pulled down once you could freely leap about, and your up-kept hair whipped wildly behind you.

Giving it more thought; you couldn't even remember the last time you'd been able to frolic around freely, without having to restrain yourself.

In your defense, it had been a _long_ while...

Unfortunately your slightly good mood was short lived when you grew closer to the intense scene developing in front of you.

Without making a peep you landed quietly on the rooftop next to the duo. Expecting to find something a little different from what you were presently seeing.

Yashiro sat defenseless, staring at the sharp end of a deadly katana blade; held by none other than his "savior."

If that wasn't enough to stop your heart in it's tracks...suddenly _every_ single phone, tablet, and visible screen in the city were all overwritten by whom you assumed to be the members of the HOMRA...and the video that had started it all began to play on _all_ of them; even the big TV screen in the town's center.

Where your king currently had a crystal clear view of it...

Your eyes widened slightly.

"So much for being subtle..."

* * *

 **Next chapter is up! And I promise that soon there will be ones where we develop more of your character's personality and more of your other not yet talked about abilities.**

 **For now please bear with the chapters that cover the first few episodes!**

 **Trust me, even I can't wait until we get to the extra stories that take place in between episodes and such.**

 **And I will be covering the movie "K: Missing Kings" too, and even what happens (at least in the reader's/my perspective) during the year long time skip from the ending of the anime season, to the start of the movie.**

 **Perhaps even** ** _more_** **surprises... *Evil grin***

 **Onward Readers!**


	4. Act One: Don't Panic

_**"~Bones sinking like stones,**_

 _ **All that we've fought for,**_

 _ **Homes, places we've grown,**_

 _ **All of us are done for,**_

 _ **We live in a beautiful world,**_

 _ **Yeah we do, Yeah we do,**_

 _ ** **We live in a beautiful world~"****_

* * *

You stayed put once the gigantic flat screen lit up; your eyes still gaping a bit at the sight of the compromising situation.

The notorious Black Dog stared daggers at your king and prepared his sword to strike the final blow.

Though, no matter how much your brain fought to give yourself a good needed push to move forward; and to _save_ him...

The feelings you felt when you had first witnessed this video; all of the despair that welled up inside of your heart from having to watch someone so dear to you die _again;_

It was too much.

Your lungs suddenly stopped working as you sucked in one last frigid breath, and everything else around you seemed to fall into a nonexistent reality surrounded by darkness.

The sound of someone humming a familiar tune brought you out of your stupor, long enough to hear that it was none other than the evil culprit himself.

" ** _Hey, it's a nice night out. I came out her to take pictures of the city lights, but what are you doing out here? I'm Tatara Totsuka. What's your name?_** "

When the sound of the gunshot and Totsuka's body falling to the ground rang through air you could practically feel your knuckles popping from anger as they clenched at your sides.

" ** _I am the Seventh King, the Colorless king! I've been waiting here for someone... A nice night you say? Indeed it is._** "

Once the second shot fired ending the video in static; only one thought kept repeating inside of your brain.

How could anyone possibly be this... _Cruel...?_

Out of the millions of people who lived in this city; why on earth did _Totsuka_ have to be the victim?

It could've been someone who committed a heinous crime, or even a lousy drunk wasting their life away and who's family were already gone.

 _Anyone,_

Just not him.

There wasn't a single person on this earth who even came _close_ to being as sweet, or as caring. He was the type of guy that everyone was able to get along with. One who was well liked by all different types of people. It was simply impossible to hate the guy.

He was innocent; pure...

Beloved.

So then _why_...?

Of course, you already knew the answer to that.

He'd been on the sick receiving end of a much bigger plot. One that even you yourself, hadn't still quite managed to figure out yet.

All you knew was that once everything was said done you would be standing on top, alongside with your king.

That is, if he was actually able to _survive_ that long.

Right.

You had almost forgotten that he was about to be killed any moment now.

This wasn't the time to get distracted. No matter how much it angered you.

Your eyes shifted back to his direction and luckily, you were close enough to hear their conversation.

"That's definitely you right?" Kuroh asked.

Yashiro's next expression pained you.

He looked just as surprised and nervous as you had been once you first saw the horrible scene.

Except his position was far worse than yours.

And you almost groaned in annoyance when he answered with a small chuckle.

"Well it sure... Looks like it..."

That's when you took a step forward, ready to interfere...

"Yashiro Isana!"

Flinching at loud volume of Yatogami's voice you halted.

" _There's no need to be noisy..._ " You huffed underneath your breath.

That didn't stop you from going another few feet closer though. You weren't one to be that easily intimidated.

If Reisi Munakata couldn't do it, then neither could this guy.

"By order of the former Seventh King Ichigen Miwa... I must now take-" Another step forward.

"Hold on a minute!" Another.

"... Your life!" And a couple more.

But things came to brief stand-still when Yashiro tried to run and the clansman grabbed onto his jacket collar with that interesting gel like hand.

"Are you really going to kill me?!" He cried out.

Jeez. Your king sure was an idiot this time around...

"Do you intend to resist?" Yatogami asked sternly.

More steps forward.

"I didn't do it! I'm innocent! Did this Miwa person also give you orders you to kill a man who's innocent?!"

"... Innocent?" A shocked expression crossed the black dog's face as he released his aura's grip; and before Yashiro hit the ground, he caught him with one of his own arms and faced him towards the giant TV screen.

You shook your head.

This was too sad to watch. It's like the man was talking to a five foot ten brick wall.

It didn't take a genius to see that this guy was a little more _literal_ than most other people, and trying to talk sense into him was like trying to give a cat a bath. And you hadn't just thought of that because there was a "cat" perched on his shoulder...

The clansman glared back at your king while now dangling him into the air, waiting for an explanation.

Again, Yashiro smiled nervously and replied. "Okay, so... I might not _look_ innocent at the moment... But you know what they say... Don't judge a book by its cover. It's what's on the inside that counts."

Oh, Adolf...

"What's _inside_ doesn't matter to me. Nor do appearances. I believe that a man should be judged _only_ by his actions." Yatogami replied.

Actions, huh? Well he's one to talk.

"I'm telling you though, that's not me... You've got the wrong guy-"

"No matter how much you protest, that _is_ you! Stop trying to deny it." You took more steps forward and soon you found yourself almost within sight range.

Things weren't necessarily going in your king's favor...and in a few moments you knew that soon he wouldn't even be _able_ to prove his true innocence.

Why did Miwa's follower have to be the most unreasonable guy in the entire universe? "Juuust perfect..." You grumbled softly.

Yashiro's next words suddenly returned your attention back to the going nowhere fast exchange; and you only wished that you could slap a roll of duck tape around his mouth for what he asked next.

"Okay, let's assume for a moment that I really _did_ kill someone? Why are _you_ trying to punish me? What gives you that right? If you think I'm guilty of murder hand me over to the authorities, let the prosecutor and judge determine what happens to me. Isn't that how things should work in this law-abiding country?"

For just a moment; you could literally feel your brain exploding and your hand slapping against your forehead.

"Stop talking Adolf... Please...?!" You whispered loudly.

"I don't serve this country's court system. I only serve Master Ichigen Miwa." Yatogami flat out replied.

Yashiro sighed defeated. "I give up. Guess there's no point in arguing. Go ahead and do what you want with me."

"You've finally accepted your fate?"

"But before you do, would you grant me one final request?" The white haired boy asked practically flailing with desperation.

Yatogami glared at him before muttering, "Speak."

Never before had a singular word sounded so bitter, and your eyes nearly did a complete 180 by how hard you rolled them.

' _This_ _guy is so..._ ' Your mind felt like mush from simply watching this disaster. Way to go previous Colorless king...

You've created a monster. A very _gullible_ monster.

What your king said _next_ though,

Well you'd be damned...

After he requested to be put down; saying how he wouldn't be able to escape even if he'd wanted to, and in return receiving another intimidating glare from the clansman, he reluctantly released Yashiro. Who then kneeled down ( _you ignored how odd it was to see your king kneel for a clansman and focused_ ) and gave him thanks for his trust; before he finally began to speak.

"Well this ought to be interesting." You mumbled.

"I want to write a farewell letter...to my younger sister." He started.

"Your sister?"

The black dog might have missed it considering he had asked about her, though you yourself managed to catch your king averting his eyes to the nearest screen or sign, which had given him the idea of a nonexistent sibling in the first place.

You almost burst out in laughter when he continued with the sappiest sad story you'd ever heard about one's sister, but covered your mouth just in time to muffle it before you blew your cover.

"Yes, we're very close. I know I can't prove to you that I'm innocent. But I don't want my sister to believe...that I was killed for committing murder." He took a pause to look at another screen, which belonged to a local hospital building.

"She was born with a serious illness, and has lived her entire life in the hospital." He continued with a dreary expression.

The look on the black dog's face nearly sent you keeling over onto the concrete from all of the pure inner turmoil he was currently sorting through; and it only got better with every passing second.

The poor guy was sucking it up like a sponge. And it almost even made you feel a little bad by how easily led he was.

Key word, _almost_.

"She's never had any friends, so I'm the only person she can talk to. If I'm killed, my sister will be left all alone." When he went digging in his bag, you noticed him reaching for something other than a pen...

And then it clicked.

You'd almost forgotten that the guy was running errands for a fellow classmate at Ashinaka high school, before he'd been ambushed by all of these blood thirsty clan members with unnatural abilities hell bent on revenge.

One of the various things he bought were fire works and flash bombs.

Oh how clever the Silver king was. Even without his memories.

Perhaps this was finally your chance to rescue him...? You certainly had kept him waiting long enough.

Unfortunately you'd probably have to apologize to him for that one day, in the only way that _you_ could...

So you pulled your hood down further, obscuring any visible part of your face so that neither boys would recognize you.

"What is your sister's name?"

"Huh? Uh, it's..." This time it was a picture of Marilyn Monroe he spotted, and a small snicker actually did leave your lips. Yatogami's noise of confusion also had you mentally laughing.

"Uh... Mari. Her name is Mari!"

Nice save.

"Mari Isana. That's a nice name." Honestly Miwa... Did you create a monster or a compassionate fool?

"Thank you. It's done. I have a favor to ask. Can you give this to her for me...? Please! There's no one else I can ask. Once I'm gone, she'll have no family to turn to. She'll be all alone." Yashiro pleaded.

Who knew the Silver king was such a great improvisation actor?

Okay so maybe it wasn't _that_ surprising; but still.

Holding the note inside of his hand, Yatogami skeptically opened it and read it's contents.

Only to have an outrageous expression appear on his face.

"What is this?!" He yelled angrily.

Your king winked his way as if to show off his confidence, when suddenly the flash bombs inside his hand slipped out of his grasp knocking that cocky look clean off.

That was your cue.

You leaped forward at a swift pace landing next to the shocked and confused duo, who both seemed to be too frazzled to react properly to your sudden appearance.

Which was a good thing for you, and it gave you the chance to grab a few of those explosives and set them off without so much as an explanation.

"What in the-?! Who are you?!" You heard the black dog cry through the bright fog.

You didn't waste any time though, because the next thing you did was quickly shove Yashiro and his furry companion into a nearby ( _and conveniently located_ ) dog costume and urged them both to stay quiet while you handled the rest.

Not before you heard him whisper something in your ear first.

"Whoever you are, thanks a bunch."

And if it weren't for the other clansman in front of you, you'd be smiling right about now.

Soon after the light was about to fade; it gave you just enough time to hide yourself, given the choice you wanted to of course.

But in the end you didn't take it.

So now you stood empty handed; against a guy with a sword...who also happened to be the legendary Black Dog.

Why had you made this decision again?

"You! What have you done with the man that was here just a moment ago?" He questioned you with cold eyes.

You remained silent.

Honestly, you were unsure of how to go about responding.

"Did you let him escape? Do you know what you've just done?!" He gripped his sword.

No.

No fighting.

"I do not want to fight you." You finally replied, making sure to obscure your voice by lowering it a few octaves.

Although his hand never left the hilt of his katana, it did slacken considerably.

"What was that? If you don't wish to fight... Then why did you release that man? Unless... Are you one of his clansmen?"

Technically, he was right.

You were indeed his clansman. But in this current time, your situation would allow you to stretch the truth, since _strictly_ speaking; you'd only been about 90% sure that Yashiro Isana was in fact Adolf K. Weismann this entire time.

"No. I'm not. But I believe that he needs to stay alive, for now." You lied.

During the next minute or so, the raven haired boy fell completely silent and shifted his eyes back to the large television screen where the video of the current Colorless king's crime had been visible until a few moments ago.

"You're too closed minded Yatogami. If a simple video convinces you of murder, then I fear what you may already think of me."

His eyes flashed briefly. Showing that he had taken what you said a bit too personally, and stood up straight.

"And _how_ is it that you know my name then?" Ah, he'd gotten you there. Not that you were really hiding anything from him...other than your identity of course.

Curiously you never wavered in situations such as this, not ever; and so you remained completely calm before answering his question.

"You've built up quite a name for yourself, Black Dog."

He bit his tongue once you said that title.

Looks like you hit the mark.

"So if you know who I am, and you're still standing here; that must mean you're pretty confident in your abilities as a fighter... Is that it?"

You shook your head. "I already told you. I'm not here to fight. I'm simply following what my heart tells me."

"Your... Heart? You mean you helped that boy escape because you let your feelings get in the way?" He questioned. And from the looks of it, he was genuinely interested in hearing the answer.

"Well, that's only partly the reason." You chuckled.

"Then why-?"

"I don't need to explain myself. And as I've said, I don't intend to fight you either. So the real question is, what will _you_ do? Will you slay me for assisting in his escape?"

This was it.

Whatever he chose decided on how the two of you ended this... Well at least for now.

If he chose to fight against you, then you'd have no choice but to engage him in battle; even though you _really_ didn't want to. But not because he frightened you.

It was only because going head to head with another clansman sounded like a real pain...especially to a pacifist who happened to be against most conflicts.

A heavy, tired sounding sigh left his mouth. He then released his grip on the katana's hilt.

"You say that you don't want to fight. Is it because you do not possess any weapons?"

"Huh?" You hadn't meant to say that out loud, but there it was.

The boy sighed again.

"Weapons. You don't seem to have any. Is that why you don't want to fight?" He repeated a little louder.

You almost laughed.

What a simple way for a man to think of this situation.

"No. That isn't the reason. I simply don't want to..." Jeez, you were starting to sound as theatrical as the Black Dog.

Your answer startled him for a moment.

"I see... Then will you continue to aid the Colorless king?" He asked regaining his composure.

Your teeth clenched.

There's no way you'd ever help that scum; but considering everyone else still seemed to think that Yashiro was guilty, you didn't argue.

"Yes."

Another sigh.

"Fine. Then the next time we meet, I _will_ have to slay you. We'll be enemies... Although there's a part of me that wishes otherwise. You seem like a decent enough guy."

Guy? Looks like your voice lowering strategy worked pretty well.

A small smile tugged at your lips. Not that he could see it.

"The same to you." You said before he disappeared through the door behind you.

Too bad.

In the end he also seemed like a nice boy.

* * *

 **Sooo, here you get to see how you react to seeing the video of Tatara dying *Cry* and also a bit more of your abilities as a clansman.**

 **Sorry though, there's no fighting for you yet. You'll unfortunately have to wait longer for that.**

 **That is, if you actually do end up fighting. *Shrugs Shoulders***

 **Also, if you're curious about what you use to fight, well, I'm afraid I can't tell you that yet either!**

 **For now just get through the next few introduction chapters before we get to a couple side ones where interactions between you and the other characters will grow.**

 **But until then, I hope you guys bear with me and stay patient.**


	5. Act One: The Escapist

_**"~And in the end, We lie awake,**_

 _ **And we dream, Of making our escape,**_

 _ **And in the end, We lie awake,**_

 _ **And we dream, Of making our escape,**_

 _ **Ooh...~"**_

* * *

A heavy sigh escaped your lungs and echoed throughout the air.

That was too close for comfort.

One wrong move and you'd be locked in a vicious battle right now...

And after you felt the Black Dog's presence distance itself further away, the sound of rustling behind you caught your attention.

 _Oh, right_.

Operation conceal your king rather than steal him away was a complete success.

He quickly pulled off the large costume head and inhaled sharply before flashing the feline on his shoulder a nervous smile.

"I managed to get out of that one alive. Next time, though, he'll kill me on the spot." He shuddered as a small meow of agreement answered him.

"Most definitely."

You finally piped up, figuring that he might have forgotten you were standing right in front of him.

A sudden bell in his mind must've rang because now he was staring directly at you.

"Ah, right! Thank you for saving our butts! My name is Yashiro Isana... But, um; who exactly are you?"

Your feet shifted anxiously at his question, afraid he'd eventually ask that...

So what better way than to dodge the real answer?

At least... for a little while.

"That doesn't really matter. For now you can just assume that I'm a friend. All you need to do is focus on laying low for a while until that video can be explained properly." You replied making sure your voice was still low.

He and the "cat" blinked a few times, almost as if your words took some time to sink into their consciousness.

"Okay, but... Can I least see what you look like?"

You reflexively shook your head.

"No... Not yet anyway."

Again he stared at you for a good moment, before suddenly standing up.

Once you noticed him circling around you like an animal would if they encountered someone or something unknown to them, you stayed perfectly still, patiently waiting for him to finish; while admitting to yourself that you were genuinely curious of his actions.

After another minute or so he stopped back in front of you with a baffled look on his face.

"Well, from the looks of it; you're pretty short aren't you? But yet your voice sounds kind of low. That's a little weird."

Then he raised one of his hands and rested it atop of your head, most likely as a manner of comparison between your respective heights and making you flinch as a result.

"Huh, I don't think I've ever really seen that many guys shorter than me. Guess you got the short end of deal. Er, I mean, no pun intended."

' _How clueless can you be?_ '

In the end, you couldn't think of a suitable word to describe how completely dense your king could be at times.

It was like nothing had even changed to begin with.

You sighed and gripped the huge costume covered appendage weighing down your skull before slowly removing it.

"You need to be more serious. There are people out there trying to _kill_ you. This isn't the time to be messing around."

He instantly shaped up once you emphasized that important detail and scratched the bottom of his cheek nervously.

"Right. Um, so what should I do? Is there anyway that I can stay away from those thugs?"

"Please, don't call them that." You snapped.

Somehow, those words may have come out sounding a little bitter...

In all honesty "thugs" wasn't that far off the mark from what the Red clansmen were normally referred to by most regular people; but actually hearing the word leave someone's mouth, let alone Adolf's; well it just didn't sound good to you.

A slightly shocked expression crossed Yashiro's face, but then it softened.

"Sorry, sorry. What I _meant_ to say was, are you going to help us?" He corrected.

"Us?" You questioned. Although you knew he was talking about the furry little creature on his shoulder, you wanted to make sure.

"Yes. Me, and this little fella."

A cute meow was heard after he rubbed it's chin.

Fella?

Well he was certainly in for a big surprise.

In fact you tried your absolute hardest not to crack a smile after thinking about the future look on your king's face once the truth came out. You just _needed_ to witness that moment in person, it would also make the past week at least a tiny bit more bearable...

"So, does your silence mean a no?"

"It isn't a no. But as you've heard, I'm not here to fight anyone. The best I can do is keep you out of sight until we can safely return you back to wherever you live. I'm also assuming that you heard from the man who just left, warn me that the next time we meet he'll kill not only you; but me as well."

You grimaced, thinking about how stressful a situation like that would be to go through. Not like there was anything you could do about it...

"I see. I am curious about one thing though..." He murmured.

"What is it?"

"Well if he does find us; what happens then?"

Good question.

One that you unfortunately already knew the answer to.

"Then I'd have no choice but to defend myself... No matter how much I may not want to." You replied sounding more somber than you would have liked.

He smiled grimly. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that you really can't stand fighting, right?"

A short silence ensued before you reluctantly nodded your head.

"Yes. But I-" Suddenly a strong breeze picked up and managed to blow your large hood back enough for some of your facial features to be exposed; until you quickly pulled it back down and obscured it again.

"A-as I was saying-"

"You're a woman?" Yashiro asked cutting you clean off.

 _Shit._

The look of pure shock and surprise overtook his features as you stumbled a bit at his ( _accurate_ ) accusation.

"So that's why you're shorter than me!" He added grinning.

You simply stared at him with a tired expression.

"That's what you thought about first?"

To be honest, you were actually very relieved to know that that was all he was concerned about.

Most guys would have complained that a _woman_ had been their savior, rather it be because of their pride or some stupid stereotype, like how women couldn't fight as well as men could, or something else along those lines...

"Yup. There aren't many boys my age who are shorter than me, but girls of course are a different story. So now that I know your true gender, will you finally give me the honor of showing me a closer look at your face?" He grinned triumphantly.

Geez, why didn't you tie the stupid string attached to the hood for goodness sake?

"Fine but..." You hesitated once your eyes caught a glimpse of the cat still resting on his shoulder.

You pointed a stern finger at the cute ( _albeit confused_ ) creature.

"It can't look. I know that sounds weird, but trust me... I have my reasons."

There was a long awkward pause,

" **Meow?** "

And then another one.

Finally the confused boy said something.

"Um... Okay, if you say so... Er, sorry about this." He replied before carefully setting her down and placing the costume head over her.

" **Meow!** " She cried annoyed.

"Sorry, Neko..." You whispered. It was so light that not even Yashiro heard you.

Once finished, he turned back to you.

"There. Out of sight, out of mind. _Now_ can I see the person I'm trying to thank for saving my life?"

His face was practically lit up with anticipation.

For whatever reason; you didn't understand why he appeared to be so giddy in seeing what you looked like.

Slowly, your hands moved their way back to your hood and gripped the edges; after giving one last sigh you pulled it completely off revealing the identity that you'd hoped you could keep secret a bit longer...

When your tied back locks slipped down against your back and you opened your eyes to the radiant sunlight, a blush tinted the white haired boy's cheeks.

You could've also sworn, that a small gasp or squeak of some sort escaped his mouth.

Apparently your warm bright eyes reflected the rays of the sun in a way that many people believed to be one of the most mysteriously beautiful wonders a woman could posses.

Those who witnessed it had all agreed that it was quite a sight to behold, and that it only added to your already high visual appeal.

A soft wind blew past the two of you, and the feeling of some loose strands of your hair brushing against your cheeks filled your senses. While suddenly all you could think about was how nice the breeze felt now that you were no longer hiding anything.

Once again the air surrounding both of you fell silent.

Your king did nothing but continue to aimlessly stare at you.

His eyes were deep in concentration as he took his time absorbing every single one of your feminine features.

Something then must have clicked inside of his brain, because his blush burned brighter.

He'd finally managed to recover some ground after his brief relapse and spoke up.

"I think I've seen you before! Were you the girl smiling at me on the Ashinaka bridge earlier today?"

Oh, so he _did_ remember.

You lifted your left hand and tucked the stray hairs behind your ear as a small blush of your own surfaced. "Yes. That was me. I admit, you weren't actually supposed to see me in the first place." You grumbled returning your voice back it's normal pitch.

"So then... You really _were_ interested in me?" He asked purely stunned; almost as if the concept was impossible to even dream of.

"That isn't really the case. If I'm being honest, I had already seen the video of you days ago and followed you for a different reason. Which reminds me, we really need to leave; right now."

All of a sudden you remembered your top priority.

This was no time for _flirting._

"Ah, I almost forgot about tha-" You cut him off when you swiftly covered your face again, making sure the hood was actually secure so that it wouldn't fall or fly off again, and removed the giant costume dog head from the disapproving "cat" before placing them both back over your king's shoulders.

"Let's go." You replied pulling him along outside the building door.

"W-wait! My parasol!" He shouted frantically.

A smile tugged at your lips. "I already have it. Your eyes are pretty slow for someone who can lie so quickly." You teased handing it over to his free arm.

"Y-You mean you saw _that_ too?"

The crack in his tone almost made you laugh when you left the question unanswered, but no matter how much you wanted to "catch up" with him, there were more important matters to deal with first.

And things soon turned sour once you briefly went out into the open area amongst the other citizens, near the same exact gigantic TV that showed the video of Totsuka's murder.

Which of course, now flashed a gigantic luminescent bounty for anyone who was able to locate and hand over Yashiro.

And in return they would receive an entire sum of _ten million yen_.

 _Whoa._

The members of HOMRA were finally becoming desperate.

And a part of you felt a little guilty for getting in their way and aiding the one whom they _thought_ was the killer.

The rest of you however, didn't regret a single thing, because while the man on the screen may look the part; both he and Yashiro were two completely different people.

You'd just have to prove that detail somehow.

The streets then filled with whispers and gossip as the pedestrians around you began to criticize and talk about the authenticity of the bounty, and if the members of a gang themed group like HOMRA would actually be willing to pay that much to locate just one person.

On one hand, it wouldn't have surprised you if they did in fact, stay true to their word, considering how close everyone was with one another in the Red clan.

On the other, now that you really gave it more thought, seeing any of the members ( _excluding Kusanagi_ ) hand over that much money to some random individual seemed like a sick joke, and a long shot.

"Well that doesn't look too good..." The voice behind you said sullen. Your hand tightened around his arm since he wasn't able to see the small comforting smile on your face.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine, I promise. Now follow me." You assured him as you snuck into a nearby alley.

Your expression hardened the more you though about the situation...

No way.

 _No way_ would they take this innocent man away from you.

Damn the current Colorless king for doing something like this. Making it so, only one girl knew the truth. Without a single way for you to prove or convince anyone of their mistake.

Worst of all, he had _forced_ you back into this city. Pretty much giving you no choice to but to stay in this damned place where everything that made your heart ache resided...

And where _he_ was as well...

Unexpectedly, you halted your steps; feeling a few familiar auras close by the narrow space you stood in.

You carefully peeked around the corner; finding the very same hazardous Black Dog you saw only moments ago calling out for your king.

Not to mention the hot headed Yata following close behind.

"Where are you, Yashiro Isana?! Come out!"

His search was interrupted when the angry red and white vanguard sped towards him at a fast pace, swinging that signature bat of his like a fool.

He missed ( _of course_ ) once the young raven haired man leapt out of the way and gracefully landed atop of a street pole.

You couldn't help but sigh audibly at his reckless advances; until the feeling of the man behind you tugging on your arm caught your attention.

"I think I have an idea. Will you please take me to the top of this building?"

You stared at him for a second, wondering what he could possibly be planning in that carefree mind of his at a moment like this; but nonetheless listened to his plea and nodded your head in approval.

"Hold on tight." You replied gently taking his arms and wrapping them around your waist. "R-Right."

Your feet shifted, making sure to get in a good position so that your king wouldn't fall off the exact moment you moved. You tightened your own hands on his as well; just as a precaution, and applied a small amount of pressure ( _or at least small to you_ ) against the ground before you flew up into the open air.

The sound of wind blowing past your body and a small gasp escaping Yashiro's mouth resonated in your ears as you softly landed on the objective's edge and neatly stepped down onto the roof.

"Are you alright?" You asked as the boy, whose costume head was now hanging halfway off his shoulders stared back at you with shocked puppy eyes ( _again, no pun intended_ ).

"Well I actually meant if you could just take me up the stairs, but that works too, heh. Right! Anyway..."

A worried look crossed your face as he quickly removed the rest of his disguise... not that he could see it. "What are you doing?" You inquired, when suddenly he ran to another edge and blatantly yelled out to the clansmen below.

"Hey! Yatogami! It looks like we can escape from up here. Hurry up, quick!"

Your skin felt drained of all color.

"You!" The Black Dog yelled back in annoyance.

"I'm sure you can take out that guy in an instant. Just finish him off and come up here." Yashiro finished.

Ah... So _that's_ what he was doing.

He was tricking the members of the Red clan into thinking that the fearsome Black Dog was actually serving underneath him.

The sound of Yata's swearing and auras flaring signified your own cue to continue onward. You discreetly pulled Yashiro by the arm and returned it to your waist, while also ignoring the small pink tinge surfacing on his cheeks.

"I'm not going to hold back this time, so you really need to make sure you don't loosen your grip, okay?"

"Got it... You hold on too alright?" He nodded flashing the "cat" now inside of his left jacket pocket a smile.

" **Meow!** "

"Let's go." He added before shyly folding his other arm and setting his hand on your waist as well.

I guess now that he knew you were a girl, he was a little more hesitant to hold you.

Ironic, considering his real alter ego was nothing _but_ inappropriate and sensual whenever it came to touching any part of you...

 _Great._

Now _you_ were blushing.

To try and shake off any excess embarrassment you once again positioned yourself, pivoting your left foot and taking off with a jump going at a breakneck pace.

* * *

 **Another done, woo!**

 **I almost went over 3,000 words in this one, but then I realized the last few hundred words would look better at the** ** _start_** **of a chapter rather than at the** ** _end_** **of one.**

 **So I cut out about the last 300 and put them in a new chapter.**

 **But I'm really proud of this one specifically... At least, it's the one I'm most proud of for now anyway. *Laughs Nervously***

 **I like it a lot though, because you see more interaction between you and the main guy you're in love with.**

 **And honestly, I thought it was very sweet the way I wrote it.**

 **I don't really** ** _think_** **I made Yashiro OC, because I've watched K Project at least 4 times, so I understand his personality pretty well.**

 **And so I'm a little confident in the way I wrote him and what he might say or do in a situation like this.**

 **Besides, from what I can tell, he appears to be bisexual, because he not only blushed when Kuroh held him in his arms and saved him; but also when Neko first revealed herself to be a cute (albeit childish) naked woman and tried forcing her to put clothes on...**

 **Anyway, that's it for now.**

 **Please keep on reading! :)**


	6. Act One: Atlas

_**"~Some far away,**_

 _ **Some search for gold,**_

 _ **Some Dragon to slay,**_

 _ **Heaven we hope is just up the road,**_

 _ **Show me the way, lord,**_

 _ **'Cause I... I'm about to explode,**_

 _ **Carry your world, a** **nd all your hurt~"**_

* * *

A long silence drifted between you and your king the moment you took off; and in a way...it felt nice.

This had been the least hectic moment you'd been through all day.

After all, Adolf was safely next to you, alive and kicking, regardless of if he had his memories or not; you didn't really care.

The feeling of his warmth was too familiar to be anyone else's.

It was one of the very few that put you at ease and allowed you to lower your guard for once.

Just like it had been for almost a whole year...

What you wouldn't give to go back to that quiet peaceful life. Simply enjoying one another's company; without anything to worry about or run away from.

Hopefully this entire mystery didn't take much longer to sort out.

"Wow, you sure are fast aren't you? It's almost like we're flying right now. And I can already see the school!" You heard him exclaim, pulling you out of your trance.

A smile tugged at your lips once another interesting thought popped into your head.

Maybe this was what it was like for Adolf before he had become a king?

Being so easily amazed and putting on a baffled expression by the sight of every little superhuman ability that was unknown to him until the first moment he witnessed it...

There wasn't any other possible way you could remember him reacting like this since he was immortal and had been around for several decades longer than you have; but right now...you chose to believe that it had looked similar to what you were currently seeing in front of you.

"Hey, so, why are you helping me?"

You froze on the spot at his question; landing abruptly atop of the nearest Ashinaka school building.

Yashiro let out a small gasp before gripping you tighter and plundering his head into the side of your neck in surprise.

"Ah?!"

The brief connection of skin left a lingering burning sensation when he quickly pulled away and released your body entirely.

His arms flailed wildly as his cheeks burned bright red. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"I can't explain that right now." You interrupted; at least attempting to ignore the close contact you two shared mere seconds ago.

Suddenly the boy's look of embarrassment vanished, replaced with curiosity. He then averted his gaze down to his feet and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh... I see... You sure do keep a lot of secrets don't you?" He asked smiling.

A small sigh escaped your lips. "I'm sorry, but anything I tell you right now will only sound...weird. It's better to wait until the right moment."

"That's a shame. I would've liked if I could get to know you better." He replied looking back up at you.

"...!" This time it was your turn to blush.

But at least he couldn't see you doing anything of the sort. All thanks to your trusted hood.

"W-what I meant was...! Um...-"

"We should get you back to your dorm." You cut off.

This wasn't the time to be talking. Although your own slight embarrassment was probably why you didn't want to continue this conversation anymore.

"Oh right! Let's go." He grinned.

"Here." You added reaching out your hand. "Since we're pretty much there, all I have to do is jump down and walk you through the doors."

"Holding hands...? That's moving a little fast don't you think?" He chuckled.

You slowly lowered your arm. "Is that a bad thing?"

His grin was wiped clean of his face when those words reached him; once again filling his cheeks with a beautiful shade of red. And you almost busted out laughing as a result.

After all, it was a rare moment whenever you had the upper hand in situations like these.

If only the man had his memory... Then you'd be the one who was a blushing mess.

In fact, it wasn't a secret that he was the more dominant one in your relationship.

Not to mention anyone who actually had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman-like Silver king back in his prime, could ever have guessed; that in private with you; this seemingly innocent man could utter vulgar words that would induce a heart attack even into the dirtiest minded of people out there...all with a straight face.

Well if you call a goofy ( _albeit suggestive_ ) smile a straight face...

' _No, no! Can't think about that now!_ ' You thought while taking his arm and quickly wrapping it around your shoulder.

"Just kidding. Did I startle you?" You teased with a nervous laugh.

"Haha~ I guess you did." He grinned scratching his cheek.

So, without further ado, you leapt into the air and landed without a sound on the ground in front of the school's main gates.

"Finally! We can go home to our nice warm bed and return to our normal high school life."

" **Meow!** "

"And it's all thanks to you! Thank you again for saving us. We really appreciate it." He removed his arm from your shoulder and replaced it with his hands.

There was something else that he wanted to say, you could tell from a single glance.

His eyes shifted a moment, and they finally settled on his feet.

Was Adolf K. Weismann, the Silver king... Being _shy?_

"So, um... Is it possible... That we'll be able to see you more often?"

Damn.

Since when had this man become this _cute?_

"Heh, hahaha!" You couldn't hold back your laughter anymore.

Apparently you surprised Yashiro and the feline back on his shoulder as they stared at you with wide eyes.

It wasn't for another minute or so that you'd finally managed to calm down and answer him.

"Sorry... You don't know this but, that was the first time I've laughed in days... Don't worry, this definitely won't be the last time you see me."

Even when he couldn't remember anything, he still managed to make you smile.

"R-Really? Then I'm glad I could help, I guess."

"You should go. Hopefully you can rest up a bit." Suddenly you stepped forward and set your hand on the "cat's" head.

" **Meow?** " She mewled in confusion when you gently stroked her fur.

"Take good care of him for me whenever I'm not around, okay? This is goodbye for now Yashiro."

"W-Wait-!" Before he could finish though, you disappeared behind the nearest corner and put in a great amount of distance by sprinting off at a pace faster than he could follow.

Things were about to get entertaining again.

 **~...~**

"She left..."

The air around him fell silent.

"I wonder who that girl was? And all of those other guys; why were they chasing me?" Yashiro pondered walking through the large halls.

He sighed deeply. "I still don't get it. But, at least I got to meet a new friend, right?" He added twirling his parasol behind him.

A cute cry answered him.

"And... She sure was pretty, huh?"

It wasn't long before they reached his dorm room and lazily sauntered in, flopping back first onto his bed.

Not without taking off his jacket and receiving a stern welcome by the maintenance robots of course.

"Who were those people, anyway? And that video... It seemed so real, like it was actually me... I get the feeling, this is going to be one big pain in the neck."

"...I know. Especially when life was so good up until now." A feminine voice unexpectedly piped up surprising the white haired boy.

When he turned to find the source of the new sound, his face burned brightly when he found a naked woman with a slim yet buxom figure calmly laying next to him.

" **YAAAAAAAH!** "

"...Pfft!" A small giggle escaped your lips once you heard your king scream. "Looks like she finally uncovered her true identity. Way to give him a good scare, Neko." You smirked.

Your legs dangled over the edge of the rooftop across from his dormitory. The feeling of another familiar aura only grew closer while you patiently waited for the next scene to play out.

"Now to put her abilities to the test."

Your eyes darted down to the Black Dog, who currently walked side by side with the closest of the Silver king's classmates, Kukuri Yukizome, as they slowly approached the preoccupied boy's building.

"You'll be seeing me much sooner than you thought, Adolf." You whispered standing up and crossing your arms.

' _Time to sit back and watch._ '

The next thing you heard was a loud proclamation from Neko explaining how she was actually a cat, and since each room had a large window, you could see everything that was happening as well.

Including when Yashiro hilariously tried to force her to wear his uniform.

"She hasn't changed a bit. She's still a clueless cutie, who refuses to wear clothes." You snickered.

Well, not like _you're_ one to talk.

You; the girl who absolutely _despised_ sleeping with any clothing on. The person who feels like they're being smothered whenever they even try attempting it...

The closest you could get to wearing something, was a single loose shirt belonging to the man you loved; and _only_ him. Otherwise you'd be at a loss, tossing and turning throughout the night... And you were also quite the cuddler sometimes.

A curse that showed up whenever you had a nightmare.

So yeah... No right to judge the cat girl.

" ** _Meow~_** " The brief cry brought you out of your stupor.

"Oh, she's using her warping ability. Nice move."

"You want to play tag? Sure! Sounds like fun!" She cheered.

Another familiar voice caught Yashiro's attention.

"Hey, Shiro! I brought your friend to see you."

You shook your head at the girl's innocence. Although she was extraordinarily book smart, sometimes Yukizome trusted too easily.

"Friend?" The white haired boy's face turned the same color as his locks when he realized who Kukuri was referring to.

"How's your younger sister doing, Yashiro Isana?" Yatogami asked smugly.

The malice in his words clearly took their toll. If looks could kill... That would just about do it.

"Huh? Shiro, you have a sister?" Yukizome asked.

"I appreciate your showing me here."

"My pleasure! Eh?"

And once again the other boy's face paled when the Black Dog leapt away from the now confused Kukuri, right directly in front of him.

"Good luck." You whispered; playfully saluting your king.

 **~...~**

After hours and hours of the trio running around chasing one another, and watching Neko constantly mock and belittle Yatogami, you noticed that they had all returned to where they started, inside Yashiro's room.

"Now is good." You whispered standing up and stretching your body.

Play time was over.

It took less than a few seconds for you to jump across and land without notice on their balcony.

Taking one look inside you could see Neko laying down peacefully, while the two boys wheezed breathlessly from all the running.

"You... Finally put it on..." Yashiro huffed.

Wow. He actually managed to get the nudist cat girl to wear something.

"Evil... King... Yashiro Isana..." Your hand clapped over your mouth in fear of blowing your cover once you realized that Neko had _drawn_ on the Black Dog's _face_.

"By order of my late master, I shall-"

 ***Knock, knock***

" _What?_ "

Yatogami stopped to look towards the door, only to find it open and without a person standing behind it.

"Oh...!" The white haired boy realized you were waiting right outside of his window; your face and identity still obscured from the others.

Immediately he went to open the glass, and you stepped in without hesitation.

"It's you again. That was sooner than I thought." He smiled.

"You're that person from before!" Kuroh yelled surprised. "Are you going to get in my way agai-?"

*Grumble...*

" _Eh?_ "

"Shiro, I'm hungry." Neko mumbled grimly rubbing her stomach.

Giving it more thought, you were also pretty starving yourself. In fact you hadn't eaten all day... Not that you'd had the time for it...

"What do you say we put aside this matter on hold for now, until we all get something to eat?"

Ah, good idea Adolf... Good idea.

"What?!"

This time, yours and Yatogami's stomachs' growled, causing the other two to smile in triumph.

"Thank you for agreeing."

 **~...~**

"I've cooked rice before, but I've never made anything to go with it."

"Hurry, Shiro. I'm hungry."

"Which one goes in first? Dashi or Miso?"

You sat at the table quietly with your arms in your lap.

Kuroh stared at you intently while the other two in the kitchen continued with their cooking special disaster.

Even with his memory, the Silver king was a lousy chef...

You sat up even straighter when Yatogami started speaking to you. "Why are you still hiding your face? There's really no need for that anymore... Once this is over I will slay the evil king and-"

"You're very easily misled."

Once you said this, his expression darkened.

"What did you say?"

"Do you remember what I told you back on that building rooftop near the town's center?" You questioned.

The raven haired boy merely took a moment to try and recall today's earlier events.

"...You said something about me being too closed minded." He sighed.

"Exactly... Here."

You held out a small white hanker chief. "Use this. Your face is still covered in marker."

His blue orbs flickered curiously; as if he was trying to discern whether or not you were trying to trick him.

This time, _you_ let out a sigh.

"If I removed my hood, would it make you feel better?"

"Just a moment... You would risk showing me your true identity?" He inquired, genuinely intrigued by how you'd answer.

You simply nodded your head.

"No! No green onions. I hate green onions." Neko shouted.

"What? But we have to put in green onions..." Yashiro replied frowning.

"..." Sighing again at the two in the other room, Kuroh hastily took the cloth from your hand and wiped his face clean. Once finished, he gave the room a quick scan, obviously searching for something; only to find the mysterious suitcase he brought with him on the opposite side of the room.

"No yellow onions either!"

"I won't put that one in, so don't worry."

"And no myoga! And no ginger!"

"Not even that?! Ginger?"

"And no cilantro! Oh, but I'm fine with garlic chives." She added.

"That, you're okay with?!"

"Oh, oh, I want mine spicy! Let's put in lots of hot pepper!"

You exhaled softly at their hopeless exchange.

"Thank you again kind girl for bringing my bag. And to you as well for lending me this." Yatogami added handing you back your cloth.

You noticed that he managed to miss an ( _hilarious_ ) spot on his eyelids. "First things first. Let me finish that for you."

"What-?" Before he could respond properly, you leaned forward and pressed the soft fabric to his skin and gently wiped the rest of the ink off. Little did you realize that your soft fingers brushed against his forehead as well, causing him to blush in surprise.

"There... Hm?"

"Your voice... It sounds much lighter than before. Almost as if you were a-"

"A woman? Yes, well..."

Staying true to your word, you reached up and gripped the sides of your hood and pulled it back slowly. But, as a precaution, you showed enough so that only _he_ could see.

Neko was sure to make a huge outburst once she laid eyes on you, and so, you wanted to avoid that for a little bit longer so that you could eat in peace.

"Sorry. If it's alright with you, I'd like to keep this on until we finish eating?"

Just like Yashiro though, the Black Dog's reaction was one of pure shock and complete silence.

He stared aimlessly at your defined facial features; mainly your bright eyes that reflected even the smallest of lighting in the room.

"You..."

In the end, he had handled your secret with grace, at least in comparison to your king.

Still that hint of blush hadn't gone unnoticed; well... It wouldn't have, if you were actually _good_ at spotting anyone else's embarrassment other than a select few.

"You're taking this rather well." You smiled returning the hood back to it's original place.

"It's just...taking a moment to sink in." He replied squinting.

"Ah, I see..."

"We're not going to put that in." Yashiro scolded interrupting the both of you.

"Yes, we are! I want my mouth to be on fire!" Neko retorted.

You both sighed in unison. "Enough is enough."

"We're not doing that... Hm?"

As if on cue, Kuroh set his briefcase onto the table with a thump, cutting off the fighting of the two people in the kitchen.

What impressed you however, were the items inside of it.

"Cooking utensils?" You whispered quizzically. "Would you mind if I help?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but ask. I've always enjoyed it." You admitted.

"Oh, those spices! I can't believe you have them. They're very hard to come by in regular supermarkets. Unless... Are they handmade?"

"Yes actually. You sure seem to know a lot about them from just a glance."

"Of course. A chef always has her secrets." You replied observing one of the spice containers.

A small amused chuckle escaped his lips. "Fine then. I'll be counting on you."

"Good. And now that you've agreed, I'll make dessert too!"

He looked over to the kitchen and then back to you with slight disdain. "Are you sure you'll be able to cook while being covered up like that?"

"Meaning, in this...? It's nothing." You smirked.

* * *

 **Okay, I have to admit... I like this chapter!**

 **It was interesting to start writing the dynamic between your character and Kuroh Yatogami. And as you can see, there's already something in common that you both share.**

 **Whereas Shiro is the one you know that you're deeply in love with, perhaps this new mysterious vassal has the potential to claim your heart as well?**

 **Not that I'll ever tell...**

 **Until, ya know, like, in future chapters and such, heh.**

 **Also, it appears that you're somehow acquainted with Neko-chan... I wonder how? Heehee~**

 **So until then! Hopefully you'll enjoy this one more than I do!**


	7. Act One: Things I Don't Understand

**_"~How tides control the sea and what becomes of me;_**

 ** _How little things can slip out of your hands;_**

 ** _How often people change, no two remain the same;_**

 ** _Why things don't always turn out as you plan..._**

 ** _These are things that I don't understand;_**

 ** _Yeah, these are things that I don't understand~"_**

* * *

There were many things that were unknown about the infamous Black Dog.

But no one on earth could have guessed that he was well adept in _cooking_.

Apparently, his hands weren't just skilled at handling a katana blade...

And as you continued to stand next to him while he did his side of the job, the sound of his murmuring caught your attention.

" _Scrape the whites against the bottom of the bowl, tearing, tearing the yolk..._ "

You observed him from the corner of your eyes as you minced quietly.

" _Start from the skin... Mince finely..._ "

Your hands moved to follow his whispered directions; and through the flow of your moving fingers, the both of you found out, to your surprise; that you and the raven haired boy actually made quite the cooking duo.

Go figure.

" _Eat while it's hot!_ "

You merely shook your head and smiled as you began to set the table, making sure to be extra careful when it came to getting too close to Neko.

If she managed to sniff you out now, then dinner would be ruined...

But since your amnesiac king was much more sensitive about being aware of your true gender; most likely still thinking that he was the only one in the room to know such a thing; you decided to play a little prank on him.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all.

Call it a little payback for all of the times he constantly teased you...

You slowly reached down to place his meal in front of him, while purposely making it so that your arm brushed against his right shoulder with a good amount of force, before you brought your lips closer to his ear and whispered an apology.

The ending result was everything you could've wished for, and more.

His cheeks flushed bright red at the unexpected action, and he even scooted over to the side away from you...

 _Cute._

Now you could finally understand the appeal of his teasing when the roles were reversed.

Suppressing an amused laugh, you proceeded to take your spot across from the other man in the room and pressed your palms together like the others.

"Thank you for the food!"

 **~...~**

After several minutes of nothing but the sounds of chewing and occasional outbursts from the people surrounding you; Yatogami also surprised everyone with the appearance of his "special" voice recorder; which apparently withheld several sayings of his previous king...

Somehow, in a way; you found the fact that the stoic Black Dog secretly having a soft spot for the man who raised him was a little endearing.

But maybe that was because unlike most others, you were one of the select few who could understand something like a strong emotional attachment.

That didn't stop Yashiro's reaction of disgust from making you grin...

The somewhat awkward silence was interrupted though, when he finally managed to bring up the important crisis at hand.

"By the way, I wanted to ask you, while I have the chance... Who were those guys chasing me? And why do they want to kill me?"

He certainly got right to the point...

Kuroh on the other hand eyed him closely. "I thought you understood that their fellow clansman was murdered. Now they're out for revenge."

"Excuse me, may I have some more rice, please?" You interrupted passing him your now empty bowl.

He gave a simple nod and refilled it when Yashiro asked confusedly, "Their clansman...? Is it an illegal club of some kind, like a motorcycle gang or the mafia?"

"A clan is a group of people who serve underneath their king. Clansmen are the members of that group... Mikoto Suoh, the Red King, is the king of the third clan. Of all the kings, he is the most violent-tempered."

If it hadn't been for the hood still covering your face, the scowl that curled down at the corners of your lips would have drawn in everyone else's attention.

Just the mention of _his_ name... Nearly made your heart wretch in despair...

But as of right now, this wasn't the time to let your feelings get the better of you. Besides... Adolf needed to know what was going on, _especially_ when said Red clan was currently trying to end his life.

"So you're saying he's the boss of a group of people with strange powers? And that there are other groups like his? So now this group is after me, because there's been a terrible mistake and they think I killed one of their members..."

 _Exactly._

But of course...

"They haven't made a mistake. The fact is; you _are_ the murderer. After we're done eating, I shall kill you."

" _What?!_ "

 _This guy._

Before you got the chance to even speak up, Neko did it for you.

"More please!"

Yatogami sighed in irritation.

"Hey! If you're serving, me too!" Yashiro added excitedly.

The look the raven haired boy gave him made your stomach churn a bit.

He was absolutely fed up with these two and their antics. Whereas since you hadn't spoken pretty much throughout the entire conversation, he basically paid you no heed.

Not that you weren't intimidated by him in the first place. So it wouldn't have mattered if he had done so to begin with.

"Well, this is going to be the last bowl of white rice you'll ever eat. Enjoy yourself while it lasts, Yashiro Isana..."

"Hey, will you stop saying stuff like that!"

In that moment after Kuroh's threat, you finished eating; being the first one to do so, and clapped your hands together. "Thank you for the food."

The trio stopped to look at you, all three of them a little surprised by your sudden raise of voice.

"...Right... I think now is the best time."

Their eyes followed your form when you abruptly stood up. You simply ignored their gazes before gripping both sides of your large hood and pulling it down.

Your somewhat disheveled hair instantly slipped free from it's confinement and the feeling of fresh air brushing against your skin overtook your senses. It had felt like a lifetime since you were able to-

" _ASAKI~_ "

The next thing you knew, the familiar feeling of a large bust being pressed over your face and blocking your vision caused you to almost lose your balance; but being the prepared one you were ( _and also expecting this kind of reaction from Neko_ ), you pivoted your left foot and wrapped your arms around the cat girl's small frame and caught your balance by spinning on your heel.

And once you felt her jump back a little before she forcefully rubbed her cheek against your own in an affectionate manner, you muttered something that only she could hear.

" _Nice to see you too, Neko._ "

In response to her tender actions, you returned the gesture by gently placing your palm on the top of her head and proceeded to fondly pet her soft hair.

"You... Know each other?"

You redirected your attention to the boys; confusion written all over their faces.

"I guess you could say that..." You replied smiling.

" _Asakiii! Asakiii~_ " The ecstatic girl simply continued to squeeze you tightly.

"I actually met her in circumstances similar to you, Yashiro."

His amber eyes lit up in realization. "So then, you just happened to come across her?"

"Actually, that was a bluff. I never knew that you met her that way."

"Really? Haha, I guess you got me." He laughed scratching his cheek.

"Hmm~"

"Asaki was the first person who made me food! She gave me fish and it was super spicy! Then she had to leave after a few days... But now she's back and she can be mine again! Just like Shiro!" Neko replied while gripping your hands and swinging them in tune with hers.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that Neko..." You replied with a somber expression.

In truth, you had been visiting this, as you called it, "forbidden town" not too ago for... _personal_ reasons... reasons you didn't want to even think about right now. But it did raise a pang in your heart when realizing that the poor strain girl had been so lonely after your abrupt absence.

However, your spirits lifted when she grinned and embraced you again. "But you should finish eating. We still have a lot to talk about." Politely, you reprimanded her before returning to your seats.

The tense air in the room dissipated somewhat because of your little reunion, although now it was time to get serious.

That _was_ the case, until one of the maintenance robots that rummaged around the school interrupted the suffocating atmosphere.

You stood up and helped the guys move the table while Neko slipped over and sat on the bed.

" _Moving onward!_ "

If this weren't such a dire situation, you probably would've laughed right about now.

Yashiro beat you to the punch though, when it came to restarting the previous conversation.

"Okay, so after your explanation I understand why those creeps are so intent on killing me-"

"Ahem!" You coughed.

He smiled nervously and apologized for using a rude word to describe the Red clan members.

"But what I can't figure out even now, is why _you_ want to kill me... It's not like you're one of them. You don't belong to their clan. And it's clear that _she_ doesn't want to kill me." He flashed you a worried look.

"...It's because I am a vassal of the seventh king. The previous king, the Colorless king." Yatogami replied.

"Colorless?"

"It means one who is not beholden to a color. My late master ordered me to evaluate the man who would be the next king, and to kill him without hesitation if he is evil. Master Ichigen Miwa, the previous king, possessed the ability to predict the future."

"The ability to see the future... The Colorless king...?"

"That's right. And from the stories I've heard, Miwa was also a very kind person. Especially for being a king." You interrupted.

Kuroh turned his attention back to you, suspicion evident on face. "He was indeed... So you've heard of him then?"

"Of course I have... But I'm fairly certain that you don't understand what we're talking about, right Yashiro?"

"Um, yeah... For starters, what is this ' _King_ ' you both keep bringing up?"

You nodded in understanding. "Black Dog, you should finish explaining this part to him."

The raven haired boy sighed in slight disdain.

Apparently he didn't like that nickname very much...

"Yes, well... It means one endowed with great power that embodies the natural laws of this world. The power of the king is what runs this country. Ordinary human beings would not know about this, however."

"And if they did, then it would only cause even more trouble to those who do. That's why most Kings and their clansmen try to keep it hidden." You added.

"Huh... And here I thought that the Prime Minister was the most powerful man in this country..." Yashiro mumbled.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" You grinned reaching over and playfully petting his soft white hair. "Right Neko?"

" _Yup~_ " Not that she was really paying attention...

After removing your hand from his head, he replaced it with his own as if the feeling of your warmth still lingered.

But your expression hardened not a second too soon when Kuroh began talking again.

"Today, this country's government...and economy cannot function...without the power of one man. It was because of him that Japan was able to transform from a once defeated nation, preyed upon by it's neighbors, into the world's greatest economic and technological power."

"...And who is he?"

' _Your best friend Adolf... And..._ '

"He's the Gold king, the second king... Daikaku Kokujōji. And his influence extends to all different aspects of society... He's the most powerful of all the kings when it comes to his ability to maintain order." You finished.

Yatogami looked at you, surprised. "You know of him too?"

His expression darkened.

"Tell me... Who _exactly_ are you?"

"Um..." All of a sudden Yashiro felt the atmosphere stiffen once again, as his amber orbs glanced back and forth between you and the menacing clansman.

You finally let a small sigh before replying calmly, "Sorry, I can't tell you that yet. So continue, please."

This time it was Kuroh's turn to sigh; although in a more overly dramatic fashion... As a plus, your king also visibly relaxed when the two of you simmered down.

"Fine, but no more interrupting."

"Of course."

"...As I was saying..." He proceeded to take out his cell phone and placed it next to the soy sauce container, "both of these products were created by companies controlled by the Gold king."

"Oh, so, the boss of those fire guys... You guys called him the Red king, didn't you?"

"Mhm."

"So, there's a Red and Gold king?"

"...There are actually a total of seven kings."

"Seven?"

"Yes. Each clan is completely different depending on the king who rules them." Soon he also placed the other various colored spice containers in a circle on the table to emphasize his point. "And if I were to describe the Red clan in a word, it would be... Violence."

Once more, this conversation took a turn for the worse...even if it was bound to come up eventually... But you had hoped it would've come later rather than sooner.

It took everything you had to keep your composure as the muscles in your hands clenched.

Luckily, you managed to play quite the poker faced actress.

Although...

' _He doesn't have to keep saying that word..._ ' You thought bitterly.

Truth be told;

He wasn't wrong.

What had made you angry was the fact that the majority of other people didn't know the Red clan personally enough to see that there was much more to them than meets the eye...

"They're a clan with bonds that run deeper than blood. Killing one of their members was a stupid thing to do. You understand me? King-to-be."

Again, _this guy!_

"Look! I keep telling you that it was someone who _looks_ like me! I'm not this 'King' you keep talking about, and I've never killed anyone!"

In response to this, Kuroh took a sip of his tea, practically disregarding anything he'd said.

"...Ah?"

The final moment of truth came quickly; much faster than expected, when you noticed the others finishing the rest of their meal.

"Thank you for the meal."

"Thank you for the meow!" Neko chimed.

"Okay, time to kill you."

"Wait, wait! This isn't right! Let's think about this rationally!"

Jumping to your feet before either parties could react, you quickly stood in front of the innocent man and pushed him behind your back defensively.

Neko also took a protective stance as she growled in a way that she _thought_ was menacing, while Yatogami's hands instantly flew to the hilt of his sword when he picked up on your side's intensity.

"Do you still intend to protect him?" He asked staring daggers at you.

"Yes." You replied, your voice never wavering.

"W-Wait! Before anyone starts anything, I still have something to say!"

All three of you stopped a moment to see what your king wanted.

He gave you a shy smile as he stared into your eyes and moved to stand in front of you.

"What are you-" Before you could finish however, he softly rested his hand on your shoulder and switched places with you, so that he was the one protecting you.

" _I know how much you hate fighting. So let me try one more time..._ " He whispered.

A small blush covered your cheeks at the _unfair_ choice of wording...but going against your gut, you decided to trust him; no matter how bad the situation appeared to be...

The raven haired boy eyed him closely; preparing himself.

"From what I'm gathering, your reason for wanting to kill me is because you think that I'm the evil Colorless king, right? Based on what?"

"That video."

What a _simple_ answer...

"That could've easily been faked! Don't you think it's strange? Why would I purposely identify myself as the Colorless king?"

You followed him as he moved closer to Kuroh... your uneasiness only grew when he got a little _too_ close.

"Because you're evil and want everyone to know it."

"You really believe that? If that's really the case, then I must be a pretty stupid villain. By now, wouldn't I have run away to someplace a lot safer?"

You gripped the bottom of your king's shirt, pulling him back a little.

It seemed as if he was finally getting through that thick skull on the Black Dog's neck.

"I keep telling you, I'm just an ordinary high school student!"

' _Well... Not exactly Adolf... But you're at least innocent._ ' You thought.

"Then, who is that? Isn't she one of your clansmen?" Yatogami pointed to the still growling Neko across the room.

They both stared at her in confusion. "Huh? No, she's uh... Who are you exactly? Or, _what_ are you?"

She grinned happily and placed her hands on her hips. "I am Neko!"

"She's a strain." You spoke up.

"Ah... Then if that's so, is it purely coincidence that she's here? No, that can't be..."

"It is. I know for a fact that she's been wandering around this city for quite some time. And that she met Yashiro purely by chance." You added.

"Is that so...?"

"Um...a Strain?"

"...Right. There are those who possess special powers without receiving them from a king." Kuroh explained.

"Is that what you are?" Your king asked.

She shrugged her shoulders in exaggeration, "I don't understand it myself...all I know is that I'm Shiro's cat! I'm Shiro's cat, and I belong to Shiro~" Neko sang as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh, oh! And I really like Asaki too! She's mine, and I also belong to her! I belong to both of them~" She added spinning around.

You took her happy cheering and proclamation of love as a compliment; unlike the boy next to you who tried calming her down; to no avail...

"And what about you?" Yatogami asked you, raising an eyebrow.

You smiled; before waving off the question. "That can come later."

"Hmm..."

"Hey, listen to me Kuroh Yatogami... The bottom line is that I'm being falsely accused here! I'm going to prove my innocence to you! And then I'll have to find a way to clear things up with those scary-"

"AHEM!" You interrupted.

"Er, with those Red people..." He continued giving you an apologetic glance. "I swear, I haven't killed anyone! Didn't your late master tell you to kill me _only_ after you made a precise evaluation? Then determine with your own eyes... Whether I am good... or evil!"

Once again you gripped the hem of the white haired boy's shirt, tugging him a little closer to you and placing your head snug against his back.

"Well said... Yashiro Isana..." You murmured.

He flinched slightly from the close proximity, and you instantly pulled away. "Aha, sorry. That was involuntary."

Being met by his blushing face, brought up your mood a bit as you smiled warmly. "I-It's okay. But, uh, you can just call me Shiro."

" _Yashiro._ "

His blush darkened. "I guess, it doesn't sound so bad when you say it like that..."

"Isana!"

You both turned back to Kuroh, who currently held out the same voice recorder from earlier.

"Press a button." He instructed.

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

"Okay...then..." A little hesitantly, your king reached out and pressed one at random.

" _Do not judge the cold without first knowing the warmth of the shining sun._ "

"What was that?"

"If I'm right, it sounds like his master Miwa was saying not to jump to conclusions, right?" You asked.

The Black Dog nodded in approval. "It looks like you just got a new lease on life, Yashiro Isana."

"Seriously, Shiro is fine... So uh, would you mind if I called you Kuro?"

"Yashiro Isana!" The three of you flinched at the loud volume of his voice.

"As you wish, from this moment on, I will determine what kind of person you are. And if I find that you truly are evil, then I will slay you without hesitation... Do we understand each other?"

The other boy smiled in return. "Thank you, Kuro. That's good enough for now."

"Thank Master Ichigen for admonishing me..."

"...Is he on that voice recorder?"

No one was prepared for what was about to happen _next_.

"You mean this?! This contains the recorded words of my late master. The words of master Ichigen, who was also an avant-garde poet, were so filled with deep meaning and beauty that listening to them only once was not enough. It wasn't enough to engrave them into my soul was not enough, so I recorded them at every opportunity. To this day, whenever I am unsure, ' _Walk casually, along the path you have chosen. The path to your dreams._ ' Perfect, don't you think?!"

" _Creepy!_ "

You couldn't hold back your laughter anymore and allowed a small chuckle to escape your lips; making Kuroh's cheeks burn red.

" _Haha~_ "

After a while; you finally managed to pipe down, before casually walking over to the flustered boy and patting his head in reassurance; which instead of calming him down, only intensified the dark red hue covering his face.

"I think it's sweet..."

"Really?! Then would you perhaps like to hear more?!"

"Sure."

In that moment, it already looked as if both boys in the room were already taken with you.

"Now that _that's_ settled, let's have dessert!"

* * *

 **Okaaaay.**

 **So I just really wanted to blow through this chapter, because the next one is the first filler, and I'm super excited to write it!**

 **Oh my d** **amn!**

 **To be honest, I really just want to get past the first season arc so that I can get to the next one.**

 **I can't tell you why though, sorry!**

 **But how awesome is the second season so far? Huh?! It literally kills me having to wait for new episodes, GAH!**

 **Also, I put lyrics at the beginning because they're so fitting, don't you think?**

 **Anyway;**

 **Peace out! t(•_•t)**


	8. Act One: Talk

**"~Oh brother, I can't, I can't get through;**

 **I've been trying hard to reach you 'cause I don't know what to do;**

 **Oh brother, I can't believe it's true;**

 **I'm so scared about the future, and I wanna talk to you;**

 **Oh, I wanna talk to you~"**

* * *

"You mean to tell me that you actually had the time to make dessert?" The Black Dog questioned lifting an eyebrow.

You responded by smiling and putting a finger to your mouth, as if gesturing it was some sort of secret. "Of course I did. After all, baking is my specialty."

' _Besides... It wasn't like Adolf was any help in the kitchen..._ '

You decided to keep that little detail to yourself, almost letting a chuckle slip when you remembered the first time you'd witnessed how useless the Silver king was when it came to any sort of cooking. Except for white rice ( _even if it was nearly impossible to make incorrectly_ ). That was what convinced you that Yashiro was indeed the same man.

Speaking of, the other two companions inside the room just stared wide eyed at the beautifully designed array of desserts currently laid down in front of them.

"Wow! I don't think I've ever even seen a few of these! Are some of them foreign?" Yashiro exclaimed practically sparkling.

Laughing lightly, you leaned over to his area of the table and pointed out which desserts were which, all with a big grin on your face.

"I've included different types from America and Italy as well. Would you like to taste test them?"

A vigorous nod from both your king and the nearly naked Neko was all it took for you to get the green light.

"Alright! Let's start with the ones from Japan since we're all accustomed to them."

"Wait, wait Asaki! I haven't seen these ones either!" Neko shouted raising her hand and waving it erratically.

"That right there is just your usual Mochi ice cream; and these right here are a more commonly made Japanese dessert called _'Daifuku.'_ They're a small round Mochi stuffed with sweet filling, in this case, Anko. I've also made _'Cheesecake,_ ' a common dessert in America made with thick custard with sweet crumb breading; and lastly, _'Zeppole,'_ which are Italian donuts with powdered sugar sprinkled across the top, coupled with a custom-made chocolate dipping sauce. These are what I could scrape up with yours and Yatogami's ingredients. Next time though, I'll be making one of my specialties, so I'll need to do a bit of shopping..."

The trio looked at you completely stunned.

' _It was the Ichigen Miwa recorder all over again..._ '

It had finally registered within your brain that you were getting too excited, and you quickly waved your hand. "S-Sorry. It took a while for me to become so adverse in this kind of stuff. There was a time when I was a pretty terrible cook, so I guess now that I've improved so much I ramble sometimes."

The next moment it was silent, until everyone in the room besides you started snickering.

Even the _Black Dog_ was laughing!

Standing there a little flustered, you couldn't help but join in with them after their laughter grew louder.

 _Things would start to become more interesting from here on out._

 **~...~**

Later that same night, Yashiro seemed to be in deep concentration as he currently sat on his bed with his back pressed against the backboard and his nose stuck in a school textbook.

 _History, huh? Rather ironic..._

The sight interested you. Mostly because this was a side to your king that you'd never seen before.

Was this what he had been like during his years of taking part in the war all those decades ago?

Several other ideas popped into your head as the room remained quiet... Well _almost_ quiet; that is, if Neko wasn't currently cuddling inside of your lap while releasing noises that sounded like purring.

As much as you loved the adorable strain, sometimes you just didn't quite know how to deal with her constant affection and energy. It was almost as if you were a mother and Yashiro were the father.

"Excuse me?"

The sound of a voice caught you off guard because you accidentally ended up jumping slightly. Not enough for the boy in question to be able to tell however, so he continued.

"I was just wondering... I mean if you don't mind me asking?"

Looking out the corner of your eye towards the ominous figure still sitting at the table, arms crossed and giving your side of the room death stares that could cut steel, you nodded slowly and returned your gaze back to him. "I'll answer what I can."

Somewhat sensing your hesitation, Yashiro scratched his cheek and almost dropped the subject, only to remain sure in his resolve and proceeded to ask something that you never expected.

"I wanted to know, your name?"

For a split moment, the question didn't register.

Was... _that all?_

"Oh, well I know that Neko said your name once, but I just wanted to know the rest of it... Or is that still too much to ask?"

You shook your head. "No, it's fine... I just thought that you'd say something else. That much I can now tell you."

"I would like to know as well. However, unlike this simpleton, I would also like to ask you a few questions for myself." Yatogami added sharply.

"... Do you ever relax? You're too stiff. And will you please stop glaring at us? We've already agreed not to run away so there's no reason for that." You sighed.

His brows furrowed in confusion. "This is how I normally am. Are you saying I shouldn't act like myself?"

"Yes, Yes! Asa-chan and everyone else wants you to stop acting like a meat-head!" Neko cheered before jumping up from your lap and playing with random items strewn across the room.

"What did you say, stupid cat?!" The raven-haired boy snapped angrily reaching for the hilt of his sword, only to be stopped when you set your hand onto his. "Like I said, try to relax. You looked much better when you were speaking about mister Miwa. That's all."

His gaze somewhat softened, now understanding what you meant. "I... understand. My apologies."

After that was settled, you motioned for Yashiro to sit down at the table once again, only this time you would be the one to speak.

"For the first question... My full name is Asaki Kitsuhara, and I'm currently only about a year your senior. I won't try to avoid it any longer. It isn't like I'm famous or anything."

"..."

"Well that was kind of... underwhelming?" The white-haired boy half asked, half stated. "Maybe that isn't the right word?" He laughed nervously.

"I wouldn't be so sure... In fact, that name... It sounds familiar. Could you possibly be a strain as well?" Yatogami asked.

"No. I am definitely not a strain. As for my name, I guess it's up to you whether or not to decide if you've heard of it."

Cupping his chin thoughtfully, the raven-haired boy pondered to himself while you turned towards your king. "Was there anything else?"

Taken aback, he scratched his cheek ( _a cute force of habit_ ), trying to think of something.

"Oh! I do want to know one more thing. I guess, I want to know why you're going through all this trouble to protect me. I don't believe we've met before that encounter on Ashinaka bridge... So then why are you doing this?"

Now _there_ was the question you were expecting.

"Now that he mentions it, I would like to know the answer to that as well. Who exactly are you...? Are you a clansman? A regular person perhaps? Then again, a normal human wouldn't have been able to reach the window of a room on a high floor such as this... Nor have astounding reflexes when trying to escape."

"Ahaha, take it easy. I'll get to that. Now..." Laughing softly, you took a deep breath, "My king has always chosen to believe in those who are innocent until proven guilty. He chooses to give people the benefit of the doubt so I only did what I thought was right in his eyes, and mine too."

' _Not exactly the truth, but also not a lie._ '

Yashiro looked rather touched from your response, seemingly believing your story. Yatogami's reaction however, was more negatively received.

"So what you're confirming, is that you really are a clansman...? If so, then which legion do you belong to?"

"That... is something I can't answer."

Answering sharply, you made sure to keep your eyes locked onto his. "But, if I decide to trust you, then you will be the first to know."

His clear, almost translucent blue eyes narrowed. "And if I _don't_ decide to trust you, will you still be willing to tell me?"

"Yes."

He almost seemed stunned by your answer, and for a split second he hesitated.

"But you should know something. I wouldn't tell just _anyone_ that secret. Trust is a two-way street. In other words, it means, unless we both share that mutual feeling, you may not ever find out... Are you willing to agree with that?"

His lips tightened as he pondered about what to say next.

If he were to say no, then worst case scenario, he would try to slay you and your king on the spot... But if he said _yes_...

"Alright. I will agree to your terms."

This time, it was your turn to be shocked.

' _He actually said... Yes?!_ '

That decision alone was solid proof that people shouldn't judge others too quickly...

After all, you'd learned firsthand how much others underestimated you. Whether it came to your innocent appearance, or your capabilities as a clansman... Most of the time, people just didn't _quite_ get how you were wired; or what made you tick.

Not that it bothered you. In fact, it made situations like this all the easier to deal with.

"So then that's settled, right?" The white-haired boy spoke up, fully aware of the awkwardness of the entire conversation.

Smiling, you nodded. "For now at least. Black dog?"

He frowned in annoyance. "I'd really appreciate it if you didn't refer to me in that manner."

"Yatogami?" You teased.

"Oh! Do you mind if I call you Kuro?" Yashiro chimed.

"Call me whatever you wish, but remember that I will be watching _all three_ of your moves very closely. And if I find out that _any_ of you are related to the Colorless king, I _will_ slay you. Understood?"

"Of course."

"So... Now what?" Yashiro asked.

Honestly speaking... You had no idea what the next step was. It was already a miracle that your king was alive and that the Black Dog had agreed to a truce to prove his innocence in the first place...

"Wait a second!" Yashiro bumped his right fist into his left palm, as if suddenly remembering something important. "I just realized that there's only enough room for two people on my bed; three if Neko transforms into a cat before we go to sleep. But that means one of us should sleep on the floor."

"Very well, then I-"

"Hold on a moment." You said, silencing both boys in the process.

"There's something else that you should know about me."

The raven-haired male raised an eyebrow. "What is it? Another secret?" If he was trying to be sarcastic, you disregarded it. Especially since you were too busy trying to find the right words without embarrassing either side...

"I have a habit if sleeping without clothes."

So much for being _subtle_.

Somehow, you just ended up spitting it out.

And for a while you noticed that neither your king nor the Black Dog reacted straight away. It was almost as if they'd been frozen in time, replaying what you just said repeatedly until it fully sunk in.

Yashiro was the first to catch on, as a beautiful light shade of pink dusted his cheeks. He slowly opened his mouth to say something, _anything_ , but vocabulary seemed to be escaping him now...

Finally, after what seemed like five years, Yatogami's eyes widened to the point of near impossibility before his entire face burst into a dark scarlet. A loud splutter of incoherent wording poured out of his mouth. Something about you being "indecent," or along those lines.

"Or, if you own one, I can wear a long loose fitting shirt? Preferably one that buttons up."

 _Nice save._

"A-Ah? Y-Yeah..." Yashiro answered shyly as he made his way over to the dresser. Eventually, he managed to find something befitting your description; a plain white button up collar shirt like the one he wore now, only with clear buttons instead of silver. "Like this?"

He was still clearly flustered. The way his hands shook as he held up the piece of cloth and the blush still visible on his cheeks gave it away.

In the end, even when he didn't have his memory... Adolf still couldn't help but have dirty thoughts about you.

' _He **is** still a man..._ '

"Thank you." You smiled gripping it warmly; he nodded slowly.

" _So indecent..._ " Yatogami whispered. "Is there anything _else_ we should know? The next thing you reveal doesn't involve parading around nude like that stray cat, does it?" He sighed.

"No, no. Nothing like that. But there is another thing... I do think I should be the one to sleep on the floor."

"Huh? Now what do you mean?" Yashiro asked.

"The reason I sleep like this is, first, it's a proven fact that sleeping without clothes is healthier for you, and second, because no matter how much I've tried, I always end up stripping in my sleep. The only thing that I can manage to wear without throwing it away is a single loose shirt. Nothing else."

"But what if the room is freezing?"

"It..." You hesitated for a moment.

Normally, there would have been someone in the bed _next_ to you. No matter where you had been, whether it was your current king... or a certain _someone else_ , a warm figure always comforted you, accepting this somewhat peculiar habit of yours with open arms.

Then again... what straight man would turn down a naked woman willing to sleep with him anyway?

"It doesn't matter if it's cold or not. It's practically an involuntary reflex at this point. As for the other reason, I also tend to cling to whatever or _whom_ ever is next to me. Meaning if it happened to be Yashiro-"

"T-Then!" The boy in question's face turned ghost pale.

"Exactly." You finished.

"You can't be serious! Are you an elementary school student?!" Yatogami cried out in disbelief.

What _exactly_ had he gotten himself into?

"Of course I'm serious. I wouldn't make this stuff up you know. I'm not that devious..." You sighed deeply. "I can't help it..."

"Haa, and just what does that even mean? Not that you'll be willing to tell me... Either way, I will not allow a woman to sleep on the floor. It looks like that idiot over there and his strain will just have to deal with it. That's what master Ichigen would decide, and I will follow his example."

Yashiro's cheeks suddenly flared up at the thought of you laying close, nearly _naked_ and clinging onto him. "W-Wait a moment! You don't expect me to sleep next to her, do you?! I mean she probably wouldn't want to sleep with me anyway!"

"I don't mind."

In that moment... You could practically hear your king's mind shattering into pieces.

 **~...~**

"Excuse me." You whispered softly.

Now that it was officially night time, the room was completely dark, making it so you could barely make out the figures of the people near you.

Your heart was fluttering with anticipation as Yashiro shifted over to the side to make room for you to lay down. "R-Right, sure."

From the sound of his stuttering, it was obvious that Yashiro was internally freaking out, while also mentally preparing himself for what was about to happen.

Even if all you were going to do was sleep next to one another, it was still embarrassing for him.

The fact that the shirt he'd lent you was less loose than you were used to, didn't make you feel better yourself. Switching bodies with a smaller, younger man could do that to a person...

You even admitted that the whole scenario seemed a little sudden.

No matter how much you wanted to deny it though, you were very happy to be lying next to the man you loved for the first time in a couple of weeks...which felt like an eternity.

You missed the feeling of his comforting warmth...the gentle gesture of him running his fingers into your soft locks...being buried between his almost impossibly long silver hair, the adorable kisses he pressed to the top of your head and all around your cheeks...the somewhat perverted stroking of your bare skin against his... Even if he couldn't provide any of this for you right now... Just being next to him would be enough to give you comfort.

Cautiously, you sat down on the edge of the surprisingly soft mattress ( _the school budget was clearly massive_ ) and laid down; making sure to keep as much distance between the two of you as possible. To help ease both you and your amnesiac king's nerves, you also tried to face away from him so that your front now pointed towards the other male inside the room.

Speaking of... Yatogami was preparing to get some rest and was already dressed and snuggled under the extra blanket you'd lent him ( _since you carried a large backpack filled with necessities, bedroom and bathroom essentials included_ ).

For the longest time ( _or what seemed like forever_ ) everyone remained completely silent. The gentle breeze flowing in from the half-open window and light chirping of crickets were the only sounds you could hear... And somehow, even though you weren't snuggling up to him, Yashiro's presence with the addition of Neko's adorable cat form calmed you.

Unfortunately, you still weren't tired. That little part of you rang clear...but at least you felt more at ease. Just a little longer, and then maybe you'd be able to get some rest...

"Hey, _will you be alright?_ "

Jolting from the sudden resonate of the raven-haired male's voice, your closed eyes fluttered open and looked downwards.

Through the pitch-black lighting, his pale blue orbs still somehow managed to glow and stare directly into your own.

Unsure of how to respond however, you didn't say a single word.

The next sound you heard was the exhale of a large sigh and the shuffling of fabric slightly below you. Suddenly, he sat upright facing you directly.

"I could tell by your breathing patterns and erratic shifting that you weren't having much luck in trying to fall asleep. Is it because of that fool not allowing you to hold onto him?"

Taken aback by the kindness laced within his tone, you averted your gaze elsewhere before answering, "It isn't his fault. Anyone would react that way if a stranger wanted to suddenly share their bed with them."

"Mm..." He muttered somewhat groggily.

Now that you'd thought about it, Yatogami was more mature looking when in this kind of state. His hair was down, almost reaching the curve of his back, and his tired expression signified a man who was willing to take charge even in the face of dangerous situations. Basically... He was _handsome_.

Without realizing it, he had caught you staring at him, and took note of the soft chuckle that you'd let out just then.

"What's so funny?" He asked slightly dazed.

"Nothing. I just never took you as the considerate type... Especially to someone who may or may not be your sworn enemy." You retorted playfully.

This time, he was the one to let out a small laugh. "It's almost infuriating how right you are. I realized I've already asked but, just what exactly _are_ you?"

Whether he could see it or not, you placed an index finger up to your lips and whispered, " _That's a secret..._ "

"Well it's good to see that you two are getting along better~"

The both of you instantly froze up when Yashiro chimed in.

' _How long has he been awake?_ '

"Anyways, I think we should all get some rest now...but Asaki?" He asked.

"Ah, yes?"

"I-If you really need to, then I don't mind..."

Hesitantly, you turned around to face him, only to be greeted with his outstretched right arm and warm amber eyes inviting you to move closer.

Your cheeks reddened at the sight. The blood in your veins began to pump faster; and you were sure that the rate of your heart picked up a few ticks as you shuffled closer and somewhat shyly gripped onto his arm and pulled it snug against your frame, so that the upper portion was pressed between your ( _lightly_ _clothed_ ) breasts and the lower part sandwiched somewhere near your thighs ( _and dangerously close to an area **down there**_ ), before finally resting your chin onto his shoulder...

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the innocent Yashiro was completely flustered by the very intimate proximity; and yet... he couldn't explain this sense of nostalgia when lying here next to you... and before he realized it, his eyelids had begun to feel so heavy...

The soft snores of your king came much sooner than you'd hoped, but at least you could enjoy this for one night. " _Sweet dreams... Adolf~_ " You hummed silently so that the other person still awake in the room wouldn't hear while adding, "Goodnight Yatogami."

He hummed back, signaling that he was on the verge of sleep; like you. Now you were finally comfortable... This was the warmth you had missed.

 _But just how long would it be able to last this time...?_

* * *

 **FINALLY, AFTER NEARLY A YEAR OF HIATUS I HAVE FINISHED THE 8TH CHAPTER!**

 **Somebody feel free to punch me in the face...**

 ***Ahem* Anyway, I guess I don't have much to say other than SORRY! I SWEAR I MEAN IT! And I hope to finish this story. Little by little if it is necessary.**

 **Honestly the only excuse I have is that I kind of lost the ambition to write for a while ever since I started working and attending college at the same time.**

 **But I'll try to be better with at least updating THIS story, since it is the one I'd like to see all the way through.**

 **But what do you guys think of the first filler chapter? As you can see, I made it so that the only definitive traits you have are name and age-ish, and even then, I try to only mention them when they're needed. It wouldn't feel like a Reader story otherwise.**

 **Also, that little tidbit about sleeping in the buff really is a proven fact. Did you know that one in three adults sleep naked? Myself included, lol (too much info, am I right?) I enjoyed adding that little twist of flare, because let's be honest... Who wouldn't want to sleep completely nude next to one of these beautiful babes, hm?**

 **I think it came out alright, but I'm sure I'll go back and fix things I don't like later... (I'm so nit-picky).**

 **There will be tons of original chapters later, but for now we must go back to the anime storyline!**

 **Word count: 3,700 (roughly)**


	9. Act One: Life Is For Living

**_"~Now I never meant, To do you wrong,_**

 ** _That's what I came here to say._**

 _ **But if I was wrong,**_ _ **Then I'm sorry,**_

 _ **I don't let it stand in our way.**_

 _ **As my head just aches,**_ _ **When I think of,**_

 _ **The things that I shouldn't have done.**_

 _ **But, life is for living,**_ _ **We all know,**_

 _ **And I don't wanna live it alone~**_

* * *

You woke up to the early sunlight peering brightly through the window of the dorm room.

Stirring slightly, you blinked several times in an attempt to clear up your blurry vision due to the drowsiness of your long slumber.

And after rubbing your eyes, you finally managed to clear the fog away before you tried sitting up... only to find yourself unable to do so thanks to a certain white-haired _someone_ , who just so happened to have you wrapped tightly inside of his surprisingly strong arms.

Glancing at his still sleeping form, you couldn't help but be overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia.

The way his eyelids twitched whenever your breath fanned gently across his face, the adorable smile that tugged at the corners of his lips as he laid there sleeping peacefully, looking like he didn't have a single care in the world... even if the current situation he was in suggested otherwise. And lastly, the way both of your limbs intertwined with one another; jumbled together as bare skin met clothed.

 _So peaceful._

With his different appearance, the scenario did seem a little odd, but to hell with it.

This alone brought you happiness.

Just having him by your side and the comforting warmth he gave off was enough for you, especially in this moment.

What you wouldn't give to be able to stay like this for just a while longer...

But unfortunately,

 _You had a job to do._

And as much as it pained you to pull away from this familiar sensation, you didn't really get a say in the matter.

" _Sorry Adolf..._ " You whispered, before carefully unlatching his arms from around your shoulders.

Afterwards, you made sure to create as little friction between the two of you as possible, while also making sure to avoid the clumsily snoozing Neko, who in her comatose state, still somehow managed to make drooling cute beyond measure. You even had to stifle a giggle from the way she laid on her back in cat form, as her tail and ears twitched uncomfortably from the dream you'd assume she was having. She almost seemed more dog-like than cat-like...

Finally after some twisting and turning, your bare foot came into contact with the floor, giving you the opportunity to stretch out your muscles as you raised your arms above your head before hearing a few pops from your spine unravel.

"That's much better." You said releasing a sigh.

The early rays from the sun were another feeling that helped soothe you... Especially as they rained down on your form with startling brilliance.

"Always beautiful, even from the ground."

" _What is?_ "

You turned around towards the deep voice, only to be greeted with sleek long black hair and translucent blue irises peeking out at you from the bathroom.

Squinting in curiosity, you took in more of this somewhat bizarre sight in front you, giving the figure a good once over before attempting to speak.

Yatogami's hair was still loose... but not disheveled in the slightest. He didn't appear tired, or even give off any hint of being so. Somehow... he had managed to remain completely refined even in lazy mornings like these.

"I was talking about the sunrise." You replied averting your gaze back to the window.

It didn't seem as if he caught onto your observation from a few seconds ago. But even if he did, apparently he must've been used to it due to the lack of interest in his expression, because he simply nodded and gave a small grunt in agreement.

"I'm not used to others waking up before me other than Master Ichigen, so I apologize if I startled you."

"And I guess I'm not used to it either. Also... It takes a lot more than something like that to startle me." You retorted.

There was a short silence in the room before he spoke.

"Is that so? Could I ask, what _does_ it take?" He asked arching a brow.

Sighing, you looked him in the eyes and replied with a teasing,

" _Nope~_ "

 **~...~**

About an hour later, after cleaning up, you took it upon yourself to help the early bird, currently in the kitchen, with cooking.

Just like yesterday, he once again began whispering instructions to himself (and to you indirectly) without his focus ever breaking.

" _Fold the omelet quickly while the egg is still half cooked... The outside should be a golden yellow..._ " You heard him chant as you went to check on the rice cooker.

Meanwhile, the sound of shuffling bed sheets and soft groaning from the other room caught your attention.

"Looks like they're awake now." You said.

"Why don't you help him get ready? I'll finish up here." Yatogami replied, not even bothering to avert his gaze.

 _Admirable concentration._

Shrugging, you took him up on that offer and proceeded to enter the bedroom area with a small smile.

"Good morning... Do you always wake up this late?"

Yashiro's face instantly lit up once he noticed your presence. From the looks of it, you weren't sure if he was happy... or embarrassed. Either way he sat up straighter and tried to look you in the eyes while speaking. "Are you alright? Did you sleep okay?" He asked trying not to blush.

Laughing softly you nodded. "What about you? You seemed to be resting pretty _peacefully_ when I woke."

Ah... and there was the reaction you were hoping for.

His attempt to remain aloof backfired as cheeks flushed pink and he scratched the back of his neck bashfully.

If it wasn't for Neko jumping into your arms, he probably would've died from embarrassment.

" **Meow!** " She mewled purring.

"Morning to you too~"

The little rascal was known to have a weird habit of staying in one form for long awkward amounts of time; so that when she finally changed into the opposite, it was always new and refreshing. Needless to say, that petting her pink fur was always an interesting experience.

"So you two met before right? I know we talked about it briefly before but, I was kind of curious as to how and when?" Yashiro piped up while also scratching her chin.

"It was only about a week ago actually. I met her only a couple of days before you did when I noticed that was wandering around the streets."

Come to think of it... You were pretty lost yourself right around that time too.

Being thrown back into the city you never wanted to return to practically had you in a fit of confusion. One that you had trouble coping with... In fact, if it wasn't for the adorable cat girl, you'd most likely would have lost your sanity...

"And then you just so happened to figure out that she was an um... _what's the word_... A strain?"

Shaking your head you replied, "Not exactly. Just like you, I wasn't sure of who or _what_ she was at the time. It wasn't until I fed her something from my lunch before she revealed herself. Although... I had some sort of hunch that she wasn't _completely_ feline. I guess I'd call my sixth sense as a clansman."

"I see... So then-"

"You should get dressed. You have classes soon, right?" You interrupted abruptly.

Somehow, in that moment, you were almost certain that he would keep trying to pry and discover more about you.

Even if you had told him everything that you knew about the world of kings and clansmen, he would continue to delve deeper and attempt to unravel how you yourself fit into the picture, and what role you played in all of this chaos.

"Oh! You're right! I've gotta get changed into my uniform." It was as if a light went off in his head because now he was scrambling to try and find his white button up shirt from yesterday. He quickly jumped up and rushed past you before he started frantically digging through his dresser. Laughing lightheartedly at the fact that he was easily distracted, you walked after him before playfully throwing your arms over his shoulders, causing him to flinch. "You're not going to find it in there." You grinned.

His shoulders eventually slackened once he took notice of your gentle grasp as he peered over his shoulder in confusion. "But then, where is it?"

"Well, I'm guessing the one you lent me last night was one of the only couple that you own, so I washed it this morning before you woke up." You could feel him tense up at the mentioning of last night, but he somehow managed to respond normally, "So that's it... Thanks a lot."

Loosening your grip gave Yashiro the chance to turn around and face you.

You two were still standing closer than he was used to, so he took a slight step backwards, almost bumping into his dresser.

Catching onto the awkwardness in the air, you averted your gaze elsewhere before declaring, "It's in the dryer."

"Ah, right..." He chuckled nervously.

"..."

"..."

"Well, are you going to get it?"

"..."

"..."

" _Pffft!_ "

" _ **Ahahaha!**_ "

"We really need to stop being so formal around each other." Yashiro laughed.

"You're right." You replied grinning. "Let's start over... I'm Asaki Kitsuhara, and you are?"

"And I'm Yashiro Isana, but you can just call me Shiro."

" _Yashiro._ "

"Eh, all right then..."

. . .

Moments like these always made life seem normal, even for four people who were anything _but_ average.

Getting dressed in the morning, making breakfast and getting ready for the next school day; having hilarious wardrobe malfunctions that resulted with you in the gigantic jacket you wore yesterday, Yashiro putting on his shirt inside out, and even Neko who refused to wear any articles of clothing to go fully naked.

Well, _mostly_ normal.

But then reality always seemed to find a way to punch you in the face...

"FINISHED!" The three of you suddenly heard from the other room.

Walking out of the kitchen came Yatogami with four perfectly made bento containers, each filled with a beautiful array of food.

As he set them down onto the table, you could practically see your king's expression light up.

"Yashiro Isana, I've prepared lunch boxes for you as requested. Do not put lids on the boxes until the contents have cooled. The omelets are sweet and covered with fluffy rice. But let either me or Kitsuhara know if you would prefer dashi egg rolls instead."

. . .

From the looks of it, the white-haired male hadn't even noticed what he said.

The look of pure excitement on his face nearly made you laugh.

Pretty ironic considering you've cooked things similar for him back when you still lived together on that blimp not too long ago... Speaking of which...

"I also made dessert for later. In case you're wondering, they're called crepes; and they're a wonderful thin pastry that I've filled with my specialty ice cream and strawberry sauce. For now, I put them in the freezer so that when we leave for school, they won't start to melt for a while and then we'll be able to store them in the cafeteria center until lunch time." You added.

"Really?!" His amber eyes sparkled dramatically.

"Mhm~"

Suddenly, Neko reached over the table into one of the food containers and stole one of the omelets, unleashing the wrath of the Black Dog. Meanwhile, at the same time, Yashiro was having his own difficulties with the maintenance robot, who somehow mistook his disheveled appearance as garbage before it gripped the poor guy by the scruff of his shirt and attempted to drag him away. You especially loved when the machine yelled, "You hillbilly samurai!" as it continued to cause a commotion throughout the room.

A huge mess of chaos ensued as you found the cat girl on top of said robot, yelling at it to let go of her, "precious Shiro," while Yatogami threatened the aforementioned, recalling how the white haired boy made a promise to prove his innocence...

"Ahahaha~"

Yeah your life was definitely _not_ normal.

 **~...~**

It wasn't until after the four of you left for Yashiro's class did you actually take the situation seriously.

After all, your king's life was still dangling dangerously _on_ the hook.

If you had to choose though, then the most strenuous part of the day was definitely when the Black Dog stepped foot through the classroom doors, causing a stir of confusion... And if that wasn't enough, the moment you followed after him, was even _worse_.

Before actually strolling inside any of the building rooms, the, " _ordinary high school student_ ," had insisted that you wear one of the female uniforms to help divide the other classmates' attention away from the random unknown people entering his classroom.

And it did help...

But only a _little_ bit.

As the both of you proceeded to stand behind the _only_ actual student of your group, a barrage of whispers broke out.

" _Wow, she's really gorgeous!"_

 _"I'm so jealous~"_

 _"You should try to ask her out..."_

 _"There's no way I could do that man!"_

 _"You're right, but hey... She and that other guy walked in with Shiro... You think they're dating?"_

 _"That new guy is pretty hot too, wonder if he's single?"_

One after another, you heard someone say something to the other, the hushed tones growing louder with each passing comment.

And just when you were thinking about backing out, instead attempting to return with your gigantic hooded savior (even though that particular jacket was being dry-cleaned), a small voice piped up to reassure you,

" _Ignore them. They gossip just about anything._ "

Turning your head to the unfamiliar tone, you were met by a surprisingly familiar face.

This was the same girl who had helped the raven-haired _danger zone_ find your king.

Giving you a warm smile, she sat back down in her seat and waved her hand as a way of saying not to worry about it.

It turned out that this was also the girl who was friends with Yashiro and whom sent him to do the errands that nearly got him killed yesterday.

' _So clearly she doesn't know about the world of Kings and Clansmen..._ ' You thought.

That alone made it so that you couldn't really hold a grudge against her, even so... She still caused a substantial amount of trouble for you...

 _Oh well._

Ignoring the small details, you took a seat next to Yatogami as the lesson went underway.

During the middle of it however, there were a few moments where the poor white-haired boy struggled to keep the clansman's identity under wraps whenever he tried announcing himself as a vassal to the former Colorless king... Eventually he kept his mouth shut and thanked Yukizome for all of the "help" she had provided him previously.

For a little bit afterwards, it was calm.

But as time passed, you were slowly drifting away from the lecture as your thoughts shifted to more important matters. Like how and when the three of you (with the exception of the Black Dog) were going to actually have the chance to prove that your king was innocent...

You were definitely more focused on the _when_ aspect.

God forbid you from having to stay in this city for longer than you had to.

There was nothing more important then getting away as soon as possible... Otherwise you'd have to do the worst thing imaginable...

 _Face your past._

Your eyebrows furrowed grimly at the idea that that might happen, so instead you opted to look around the room to avoid anymore thinking on that particular subject; and in the meantime you happened to notice how Yashiro had scribbled multiple notes over his notebook about how he could prove his innocence.

And knowing Adolf on an more personal level, he really _was_ taking the situation seriously... But he was _also_ known for over-analyzing whenever he was thrown into similar circumstances. Needless to say that right about now, he looked pretty funny balancing a pencil on his upper lip, while Neko in her cat form tried to draw on the Black Dog's face with a bright marker.

In the next moment, everyone turned their heads to the raven haired boy's booming voice, only to find a now humanoid Neko dressed up in the school's uniform.

Well at least now the attention was away from you...

 **~...~**

The long awaited lunch time was when you finally decided to bring up the subject that was plaguing your brain ever since the first period ended...

Apparently, according to the roster for the school, there was also some kind of festival-contest planned for the evening.

"So does this mean that we all have to dress up? Since were 'students' and all?" You questioned popping an omelet in your mouth.

"Yeah, I promised Kukuri that I would. If you don't actually mind... Would the rest of you all participate in it with me? It'd be easier for the rest of you guys if you just tried blending in as much as possible." Yashiro replied.

"You might've mentioned this, Yashiro Isana. You can't expect us all to cooperate when we still have something else far more important to discuss?" Yatogami added menacingly.

"Sorry, sorry! But this is for everyone's benefit, I promise." Your king retorted.

Sighing you turned to both of the boys before speaking up, "It's fine. I think he's right. Playing along would cause less of mess for those around us, although I do agree with the Black Dog for once, it _is_ a bit of an inconvenience."

Taken aback by your comment of agreement, the clansman stared at you with an eyebrow quirked. "We haven't forgotten what we need to do. We'll just have to do both at the same time. Is that good enough for you?"

Sensing your slight sarcasm, he nodded hesitantly with a small frown. "Alright. I'll accept those terms."

Yashiro's eyes lit up empathetically.

"Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it."

 _Damn._

You really were in love with this man.

That dopey smile really was your weakness.

. . .

" _Shiro brought a homemade lunch_."

The four of you turned your heads to see Yukizome holding an extra bento box with a dazed expression on her face.

' _Was that extra lunch for Adolf?_ ' You wondered.

If so, then kudos to her trying to get him to eat something other than the leftovers he received from the other students the past few days. But still, now that job was taken by someone else...

"My loving wife Kuro made it for me~" He replied with a blushing grin.

Smiling at the wonderful comeback, you continued to watch as the raven-haired male spat back a comment about cutting off his tongue for saying so; only for the brunette girl to interrupt them by pointing out that the PDA your king held was different from the school issued one.

"It belongs to my loving wife~"

" _Say farewell to your tongue._ "

 _Heh._

In all seriousness though, they started discussing about finding proof of your king's innocence.

"Any new leads?" Yatogami asked.

"No, I can't tell anything from this blurry image." Yashiro replied.

Their voices faded into the background as you remained silent; trying to think of anything that would help subdue the situation. And in your thoughts, they drifted back to earlier when Adolf left the first lecture, with you following closely behind.

That was when another friend of his approached him with the same video that replayed the murder of Totsuka (you also disregarded the previous video he wanted to show him about pornography), and whom joked that both the man in the playback and your king looked alarmingly similar to one another.

It was that moment, when he'd asked the other boy to send him the recording so that he would be able to study it more.

. . .

 _"Is it the video again?" You had asked with a scowl._

 _Without turning back to you Yashiro sighed, "Yeah. I had him send it to Kuro since I don't have my school PDA, but still... He really does look like me..." He replied solemnly._

 _'But it isn't you.' You frowned._

 _What could you do to help ease his burden?_

 _Not knowing what to do, you shifted slightly, before walking close to him and leaning forward until your face peeked over his shoulder. "But it isn't you... Right?" You smiled trying to reassure him in the best way only you were capable of._

 _You guessed it was something about the closeness of your figures and the strong expression you wore that helped to lift his mood... at least that's what you gathered when he returned your gaze and grinned hopefully._

 _"You sure do have a lot of faith in me..."_

 _Laughing, your king continued to walk towards the cafeteria, with you following even closer than before._

. . .

When your mind recalled these events, you slowly went back to the conversation going on between the two boys and Yukizome.

For some reason, the brunette girl was blushing uncontrollably...

And the suspect in question suddenly seemed to remember something _important...?_

* * *

 **What's up homies?! Guess who's back?!**

 **Well if you guessed, "This lazy piece of shit," then you WERE RIGHT!**

 **Honestly, I have no excuses. I guess you could say I'm going through rough times right about now. With working full time until I go back to college in the fall, and dealing with depression that probably stems from me being trapped in one state for pretty much my whole life, well needless to say that it has put me in quite the slump.**

 **But as much as I've said I don't think I have much drive to write anymore, wouldn't you believe that I do, but that it's probably bubbling beneath the surface.**

 **And so, here I am, finally posting the ninth chapter of this fanfiction (even though I'll probably update it several times like I do with every chapter in this). I owe everyone reading this an apology and I hope that even though I might not finish this until years from now, that you will all just bear with me and my lazy ass, lol.**

 **Anyway, I've slowly been gaining drive again, so it might take until I finally move out of New York to get me back into my groove and passions.**

 **Until then, Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Word Count: 3,500 (roughly)**


	10. Act One: Proof

**_"~If I ever want proof,_**

 ** _I find it in you,_**

 ** _Yeah I honestly do,_**

 ** _In you I find proof,_**

 ** _So I waited all day,_**

 ** _What wouldn't I say?_**

 ** _And are there things in your way?_**

 ** _Things happen that way~"_**

 ***Quick "Authors Note," Anything within the story that is BOTH Bold and Italic, means that it is something that was either said in the past by someone else, something that was recorded earlier on (either video or voice recording), or very rarely when normally a single word is supposed to be extra emphasized. And I'm talking BEYOND just Italics, lol.***

* * *

Somehow, you'd ended up in a weird situation...

 _"C'mon now, there's no need to be shy. You'll be great!" Yukizome encouraged as she shoved you into a nearby changing tent._

 _"H-Hey, I understand already, so please stop pushing me." You replied._

It was then that the overzealous brunette practically forced you to change into an extravagant Eastern-type garb ( _which was incredulously well crafted, honestly, was the school made out of money?_ ), leaving you unable to hear any of what was being said in the other room where the other three resided.

Of all the times to be torn away from a desperate situation...

What if you were missing something _important?_

Not to mention the fact that the Black Dog could practically cut down your loose canon king without so much as a second thought; especially if the man in question said something provoking ( _or in your words, stupid_ ).

The anxiety was already _eating you alive._

"Excuse me, but, are we almost done...?"

Yukizome giggled softly, clearly amused.

"You sure are impatient. It won't be much longer."

Sighing to yourself, you couldn't help but stare outside the sliver of light between the curtain's opening.

' _This is bad..._ '

A few moments later, you were instructed to lift your arms, as yet, _another_ piece of clothing slid over your head and rested upon your shoulders... Just _how_ much more fabric were you going to have to wear?

It didn't help that it was also unexpectedly heavy.

Even when you were living up inside of the Himmelreich with Adolf, the same man who practically wore a suit for everyday attire, didn't require this much maintenance.

Then again, he _was_ originally from Germany.

' _C'mon, c'mon._ '

"Aaand, done! You're all set."

' _Finally!_ '

You gave her a curt nod and a thank you before quickly making your way outside and to the other space were your companions ( _and one not-so-friendly acquaintance_ ) were waiting.

Once you approached and heard the familiar voices of the loud trio, you made sure that you alerted them of your presence. "I'm here! Ah...?"

Before opening the flap, it suddenly dawned on you.

Just in case, to avoid more Neko nudity, you also added shyly,

"Are you three _decent?_ "

It was then that you heard a mixture of a scoff, a giggle, and a stifled choke all thrown into one mass of hilarious sounds.

You'd take that as a, " _Yes._ "

"Then I'm entering."

Flipping open the doorway, you stepped inside, only to be greeted by pure silence.

Based off their reactions, you hurriedly scanned the room for any trespassers.

It was about a minute before you realized there was nothing to particularly worry about, so your attention turned back to them. You tried to read their expressions, which for some reason, almost seemed impossible as both Yashiro and Yatogami turned their heads away before you could read them.

 _You'd seen that look before._

And their mute response was a dead give-away.

You dashed towards the closest mirror on the opposite corner side of the room, before you stopped dead in your tracks at the sight in front of you.

Your lips tightened into a thin line, expression blank...

This attire... Was one that you were well acquainted with.

Something you never wanted to wear _ever again._

Mouth agape, you took in the fact that Yukizome had dressed you in the attire of the one and only fabled wolf goddess, known as "Amaterasu." The regality and unprecedented attention to detail were a low blow to your unsuspecting self.

After all, there was another time not too long before now, that this garb covered your form...

You could feel your palms clamming up; heart starting to race so anxiously that it vibrated your entire core. A feeling of shock overturning any other functions and short circuiting your brain.

But that isn't what caused your expression to darken.

It was the fact that you were now face to face, staring back at a person you knew from a distant time... Someone unrecognizeable.

Or rather,

One that you wanted to _erase._

A remembrance of words spoke to you in a familiar, gruff manner.

 ** _"Doesn't suit you. You look more like a scared little fox trying to be a wolf."_**

 _How had you not noticed?_

Life suddenly returned to your eyes, as you exhaled a sharp breath you hadn't even realized you had been holding in.

It startled you; in all honesty... You weren't sure as to whether or not you were exactly okay at the moment.

" _Y-You look good._ "

The sudden sound of your King's shaky voice and the touch of Neko's hand on your shoulder simultaneously broke you out of your trance.

"Sorry... What?"

You asked in a stupor.

"I said that you look good. But, I get this strange feeling that it doesn't quite suit you as well as it should." Yashiro added scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"No, you're right. She seems a little out of place; regardless of how exceptional the overall appeal is." Yatogami added crossing his arms.

"I don't really get it, but I think you look amaaaziiing Asaki! Like really-really super fantastic!" Neko cheered grabbing your hands and swaying them back and forth excitedly.

"T-Thank you..."

As if on cue, Yukizome's voice piped up at the perfect moment.

"Come on you guys! How long does it take you to change?"

Turning to look at her direction, the brunette quickly took note of everyone's appearance and smiled in approval. She commented on the accuracy of your king's tribute to Ebisu, minus the lack of fat on his body, and Neko's beauty...despite her lack of a true character.

"And of course you look positively gorgeous! I helped get you dressed after all. Even so, I think you'll overshadow anyone on this entire campus today." She beamed.

Your body felt like lead the longer she continued on; until the final breaking point where you cut her off and asked, " _Can I change?_ "

"Eh?"

Looking down apologetically, you asked once more, " _Please_ , Can I change into something else?"

Everyone fell silent, before you raised your head and added, "I can't move well at all and I really need to go to the ladies room. Not to mention that this outfit has way too many layers compared to everyone else, so It's pretty warm."

"Oh... So _that's_ it. Then I suppose it's okay for you change. I thought maybe it was something else judging by how you asked the first time. Would you prefer something similar to the one the other miss is wearing?" Yukizome smiled.

"Not particularly... Probably something more like that guy-" You replied pointing towards the Black Dog; whom seemed severely offended by your rude actions. "Hey! Don't point at other people! And you shouldn't refer to someone as ' _that guy,_ ' either!"

Ignoring the raven-haired clansman, you looked back over to the class representative as she closed her eyes in thought.

"Hmm, something like Kuro's...? I think we might have another kimono in the spare prop room, I can go get it for you, but unfortunately, I won't be able to help you change again since I'm pressed for time..."

"That's okay, I can do that myself."

' _Anything to get me out of this thing._ ' You thought.

"Mm, if you say so."

Relief spread through you like a wild-fire.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Yashiro spoke up.

"Kukuri, if you have a second, Its about December 7th."

 _Oh._

If an expression could be contagious, then it was definitely the one that showed up on the brunette's face regarding the topic. You could virtually _feel_ the embarrassment radiating off of her. In fact, it even managed to make your own face heat up like a chain reaction.

That was the look of a girl who was either conflicted about a past regret, or a girl who was secretly in love. Perhaps, maybe even both?

Either way, you could feel your cheeks heat up at the sight.

What Yashiro told your group next however...

Was far more embarrassing than you ever imagined.

It was something about the guy from earlier who tried to show your king the video of Tatara's murder; as he had also apparently tried to confess his feelings to the poor unsuspecting girl in front of the entire school campus that same night.

 _Ouch._

No wonder she was so flustered.

"And that's what happened." He finished.

You internally groaned.

' _Adolf, you are honestly an idiot sometimes..._ '

There were often times that you questioned as to how your own feelings had somehow reached the dense man back when you first got to know him. Especially after witnessing this side of him for the first time in a while.

" _WHY_ did you have to bring that up?" Yukizome stammered quietly.

Before you could open your mouth to comfort her, the sound of Yatogami's recorder echoed throughout the room. " _The feeling of love, A shower of fireworks, It bursts then fizzles._ "

The sparkling aura of the black dog made the accused whisper, " _creepy,_ " with disgust.

You couldn't help but grin a little as the clansman stared adoringly at the little black contraption. It was one of the few times where you admired how cute he was capable of being.

"Anyway, that was quite a show. It happened just before midnight, right? Around 11:45 p.m. to be more exact."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. But why is it so important?"

You shifted slightly.

Feeling a little uncomfortable talking about the precise time-frame in which your best friend was killed, you tried to avert your attention away from the conversation for a bit.

Instead,

You reflected on the strong emotional reaction you had only a moment ago after seeing yourself in your current state.

' _What was that...?_'

But then, you already knew the answer.

It was something that **_he_** had said from your past. Something that was all but a forgotten memory.

Except it was obvious that it _wasn't_ so forgotten.

 ** _"Still pouting?"_**

The same gruff tone from earlier spoke again, as you clenched your fists in a state of frustration.

' _Of course not!_ '

Damn it... It was as if he was taunting you now.

" _That was the LAST thing on my mind!_ "

That loud cry was what snapped you back to attention.

"Well then... Do you mind if we at least stop by the student council room then?" Yashiro asked apologetically.

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you don't try to skip out on contributing to the festival." She scolded. "And I'll go get that kimono for you. Although...are you sure you'll be okay putting it on by yourself? I think that's pretty much impossible for a single person."

You shook your head. "I'll be fine. Thank you."

"Alright, then I'll be right back!"

"She sure is energetic."

' _And so out of the loop._ ' Your thoughts added.

"So _what's_ this about wanting to change clothes?"

His terse tone could only mean that the Black Dog was becoming suspicious.

Then again... He was _always_ suspicious.

"I already told you the reason. I can't move well and I have to use the bathroom. It's not rocket science." You replied calmly.

"What did you say?" He asked, malice oozing from his voice.

"C'mon you guys, that's enough. We don't have time for fighting." Yashiro intervened.

You sighed in slight annoyance.

"I'm _not._ He just makes it seem like everyone and everything has an ulterior motive. I get that you're skeptical and all, but there are times when you need to cut back on those levels of intensity."

Even though _technically_ he had a right to be, since you really were hiding something...

The raven-haired male's eyebrow twitched.

"Haha, well you've got a point there." Adolf added grinning.

"Yeah! Kuro is stupid!" Neko shouted.

At this point, Yatogami's face was flushed red with fury, a clear sign of his breaking point...

"All of you, shut your mouths!"

 **~oOo~**

" _I apologize for before._ "

This scene didn't sit quite right...

It had been several minutes of pure silence, so the clansman's sudden comment nearly startled you.

 _Nearly._

However, the situation you two found yourselves in was definitely... unexpected, to say the least.

Miss Yukizome managed to dig out the other Kimono from the prop room, and she was glad to offer it to you.

So at first, you accepted it with glee. As long as you were able to escape the clutches of the previous garb.

It hadn't really hit you back then.

But once you took off that god forsaken outfit and began to put on the new one... Well, that's when you ran into a few _minor_ miscalculations.

First of all, when you told the class representative that you would be just fine on your own with the new costume; it was only a bluff.

Of course you couldn't put it on all by yourself.

It was impossible, after all. She said so herself.

Well, more like impractical.

You'd brushed it off and ignored the small details, but now...you were paying the price for it.

That was, until the Black Dog miraculously came to the rescue.

 _"You don't know how to put it on? You're unexpectedly as bad as Yashiro Isana..." He frowned._

 _"I never said I knew what to do. I just said I'd be fine. There's a difference." You spat back, trying to tie the obi; but due to your fingers losing their grip, the retort fell flat._

 _Sighing, his blue irises narrowed, before he gripped your hand and gently moved it out of the way._

 _"Allow me do it. At the very least, you managed to pull together the under-coat, so that's a start."_

 _"Yeah. And its a good thing I did, because if I hadn't, you would of had a repeat of 'naked-Neko' from this morning."_

 _His hand tightened on yours once you mentioned that disgraceful event._

 _"Not another word. So shut up and let me finish."_

 _Without flinching from the contact, you looked up at him with an appreciative expression._

 _"Then, I'm counting on you, Black Dog."_

 _He groaned._

 _"I thought I told you to stop calling me that?"_

 _"Yeah, well... Its not really in my nature to listen to anyone unless I want to." You shrugged._

 _"You do seem like the playfully-cunning type."_

 _"Hah. You have no idea..."_

Afterwards, there was a complete lack of communication. About ten minutes had passed before he offered up a second apology. Although, for what?

That's where you were uncertain.

Curiously, you made eye contact as he was finishing putting on the belt.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Those translucent blue eyes of his refocused onto his handiwork; almost as if he were trying to avoid giving away a single hint of his emotions.

"For jumping to conclusions earlier about you wanting to change." He replied.

Your brows furrowed. "I get it. You were only trying to keep your guard up because of the circumstances. I can at least respect something like _that._ "

" _Heh._ "

The deep resonate of chuckling made your eyes go wide in shock.

 _The_ Black Dog was laughing,

At _you?_

"Sorry. Just now, I thought that you were really something else."

"Hm?"

"One moment you insult me, calling me out on my bouts of suspicion; and yet, afterwards, you'll say something oddly forgiving... It's fascinating." He explained, as a slight smile adorned his features.

 _Pffft._

"Is that a good thing?" You snickered softly.

With one last tug on the obi belt to make sure that it was secure, the outfit was completed.

Gazing into your eyes again, he whispered tauntingly,

" _That's a secret~_ "

This time, you yourself laughed out loud at the clever use of your previously stated comeback.

 **~oOo~**

And yet... Even still afterwards...

 _What a shame._

After the short bonding session that took place between you two...

You once again stood on opposite sides from each other.

After said event, your King constantly ran into obstacles that all happened to point at him for being guilty of a crime he didn't commit. No matter who he went to to gather information from, none of them happened to recall him at the school festival, all due to being preoccupied with other more " _important_ " matters.

Which led up to now.

" _He always forgets, no matter how many times I tell him._ " Yukizome sighed.

"Without his PDA, he could not get past the gate, correct?" Yatogami asked. His venomous words teetered on the edge sending a cold sweat down your Yashiro's spine.

"This guy just sneaks out anyway."

It was almost as if this girl was _trying_ to kill him!

You noticed Yashiro's hand covering his exasperated expression, only for him to shrink away when the clansman rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Kukuri, something is about to happen that I don't want you to have to witness. Please leave us now."

"W-Wait a minute! I-I'll search everywhere, I'll find other proof!" Adolf desperately pleaded.

"I've heard enough! Its become quite clear to me that you are insincere."

Without so much as a second thought, you quickly stepped in front of both your King and Neko, holding an arm out in front of them protectively.

You remained silent as Neko tried to reason with the stubborn man, explaining how kind Yashiro truly was to her, and how her only wishes were to stay with him and live a peaceful life.

Unfortunately for all three of you, the Black Dog disregarded anything she had said, instead he gripped Kotowari harder, preparing his attack.

"And you... Do you still intend to protect him? If you flee now, I promise that no harm will come to you; I guarantee your safety out of your respect for Master Ichigen and his teachings. However, you won't get a second chance."

You hated than having to do this.

But... You didn't really have that much of a choice.

Even if the cost was high...

 _You were going to protect Adolf._

Silently, you raised your arms and shifted your legs around in a smooth, graceful motion.

"I appreciate the offer. Really, I do. And honestly, I'd prefer not to fight... But..."

Your fists clenched shakily.

' _Stand your ground. Don't you dare buckle under pressure!_ '

The near-deafening beat of your heart pounded against your ears. It was clearly difficult for you to assume such a stance. After all, this wasn't exactly your forte.

Only one question kept repeating over in your head.

' _Was this actually happening?_ '

"So that's your answer?"

' _I guess so... Looks like I can't stop now._ '

You pivoted your feet twisting on the heels, ready to finally lunge as the colorless member prepared his counter attack by unveiling his katana blade halfway.

" _Wait._ "

A sudden weight on your shoulder stopped you in your tracks.

Curiously, you looked downwards, and noticed that it was none other than Yashiro's hand.

"You don't have to do that... Really, having a girl like you care so much about my well being... I think that gives me the strength to endure just about anything that comes my way." He smiled.

You blinked.

"What?"

For some reason, the way he'd said that made you feel a mixture of both happiness...

And a little bit of _irritation._

Not a second after you'd managed to collect your thoughts, did your King step in front of you and Neko, putting up a defensive arm just as you did moments before.

"What do you think you're-"

"Its alright. Trust me."

' _ **Trust** me?!_ '

Was he _serious?_

" _Don't be stupid. Are you trying to get murdered?_ " You whispered harshly before pushing your shoulder against him in order to get back to the front.

"I said its fine." He replied curtly pressing harder.

"And I said its NOT." You spat giving it more strength.

"Its. Fine."

"Its. _Not._ "

"It _IS._ "

"It _ISN'T._ "

At this point, the two of you were practically trying to kill each _other._

And noticing that neither of you were going to back down, the boy sighed.

"Will you _please_ just-"

Catching you off guard ( _and cutting you off mid-sentence_ ), Yashiro gingerly laced his left hand fingers through yours in an intimate manner before gripping your palm tightly. He didn't even flinch from the contact as he continued to bring your arm around his waist from behind, pulling your form snug against his own as a result.

Suddenly, your heart was pounding for a _different_ reason.

Now there was only one other important detail on your mind.

Just what was he planning to _do?_

As you contemplated the situation you were in, you noticed that Neko was also holding onto the both of you with a death grip.

And unless you were mistaken, you could see that the Black Dog now had a skeptical look on his face.

Was he possibly conflicted?

Either way, you heard Yashiro apologize to him, clearly flustered from all the events taking place at once. "I'll take this more seriously from now on. A lot more happened on that day."

Your King then listed off various other things that transpired, until one particular incident seemed to spark Yukizome's memory. Something about a roof caving in at the school gym?

"Hold on... I think I remember seeing you there Shiro."

And for once...

Something finally seemed to go your way.

It wasn't long afterwards, the class representative showed Yatogami the image of Yashiro on her phone at the time of 12:30 A.M., the day that Totsuka was killed.

And without any other way to prove the white-haired dork's "dishonesty," he ( _at last_ ) cleared the accused of being the murderer.

You sighed, thankful that one obstacle was finally out of the way.

Although, the second part about his memories being all screwed up still bugged you; for now, you'd leave it alone until the right moment arised.

"Well my dear friend Kukuri, I owe you my life, _that's_ what's going on!"

You smiled, nearly laughing at the confused look on the poor brunette's face.

"Don't worry about Miss Yukizome. He's just talking nonsense."

A little snicker did leave your lips at her response though.

"Uh, y-yeah. Sure."

"Now that that is finished. Should we get back to the festival preparations?" Yatogami asked relaxing his grip.

"Hold it. After all that trouble, don't you think you need to at least apologize? You did try to kill me more than once, remember?"

"No way in hell."

" _HEY!_ "

* * *

 **HEY GUYS!**

 **Finally, after agonizing over corrections on this friggin chapter, I finalized it!**

 **It's a little longer than previous chapters too, so instead of leaving in on an intense note like always, I decided a lighthearted cliff hanger would be nice for once.**

 **I don't have much to say except that I hope everyone will be patient with me as I try to better myself so that I can regain my drive to do the things I love to do. So if chapters take this long to publish, I hope everyone will understand my circumstances and stick with me.**

 **Ta-Ta then, lovelies~**


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